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THE  UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

LIBRARY 


THE  WILMER  COLLECTION 

OF  CIVIL  WAR  NOVELS 

PRESENTED  BY 

RICHARD  H.  WILMER,  JR. 


Ham  Sterns,  I  reckon  you  know  ME."— Page  190. 


OTHER  FOOLS 


AND  THEIR  DOINGS, 


OR, 


LIFE  AMONG  THE  FREEDMEN 


BY  ONE  WHO  HAS  SEEN  IT. 


NEW    YORK: 

J.  S.   OGfLYIE  &   COMPANY, 

2  9  EosE  Street. 


j2S^ 


Copyright 

1880." 

Bt  J.  S.  OGILVIE  &  CO. 


COISTTEI^TS. 


CHAP.  PAGE. 

I.     The  Bean  Island  People  7 

11.     Distrust 28 

III.  The  Glorious  Fourth 45 

IV.  Legal  Redress 60 

V.     Preparations 74 

VI.     The  Cloud  Thickens 87 

VII.     Portentous  Darkness 108 

VIII.     Memory  and  Experience 129 

IX.     The  Situation 148 

X.     The  Attack 157 

XI.     A  Massacre 179 

XII.     Incidents  and  Particulars 197 

XIII.     The  Scallawag 219 


;J  2/S 


3  C'7^^ 

c 


OTHEK  FOOLS 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  BEAN  ISLAN'D  PEOPLE. 

"  O  Tarn!  hadst  thou  but  been  sae  wise 
As  ta'en  thy  aiu  wife  Kate's  advice! " 

— Tam  O' Shatter. 

It  was  April,  1876,  and  Deacon  Atwood  and  Captain 
Black  were  riding  along  the  sandy  highway  in  the  sparsely 
settled  vicinity  of  Bean  Island,  in  the  State  of  South  Caro- 
lina. 

Though  the  sun  shone  uncomfortably  hot,  neither  the 
men  nor  the  horses  they  bestrode  seemed  anxious  to  escape 
its  rays,  for  they  traveled  quite  leisurely  several  miles, 
till  they  reached  a  point  where  the  road  forked. 

There  they  paused  a  few  moments,  and  continued  tbeir 
conversation  in  the  same  low,  earnest  tones  they  had  pre- 
viously employed. 

The  Deacon  was  fifty  years  of  age,  large,  broad-cliested, 
red-faced,  wdth  full  fiery  red  beard  and  thin  brown  hair, 


8  OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

which  gathered  in  sodden,  tai:)ering  hanks  about  his  short 
neck  and  large  ears  ;  and  his  pale-blue  eyes  looked  out  of 
little  triangular  orifices  on  either  side  of  a  pyramidal  nose, 
upon  the  apex  of  which  was  balanced  a  narrow  forehead 
of  a  "  quirked  ogee  "  j^attern.  His  hands  were  large  and 
freckled,  and  he  kept  them  in  constant  motion,  like  his 
huge  feet,  which  seemed  even  too  heavy  for  his  clumsy 
legs.  His  snuff-colored  suit,  and  the  slouched  hat  he  wore 
on  the  back  part  of  his  head,  were  dusty  with  travel. 

His  companion  was  younger,  taller,  and  less  stoutl}^  built 
than  he.  His  eyes  were  large  and  dark,  and  his  head, 
crowned  with  bushy  black  hair,  was  poised  upon  a  long, 
slim  neck.  His  manners  indicated  more  culture  than  the 
Deacon  had  received. 

"  Well,  Deacon,"  said  he,  rising  in  his  stirrups,  "  we  have 
submitted  long  enough,  and  too  long,  and  there  must  be  a 
change:   and  I  am  bound  to  do  my  share  to  secure  it." 

"  And  I  -vvon't  be  behind  yo',  Cap'n,"  replied  Deacon  At- 
wood.  "  These  niggers  must  be  put  down  where  they 
belong,  and  the  carpet-baggers  driven  back  where  they 
came  from." 

"It's  doubtful  whether  many  of  them  would  be  received 
there.  I  apprehend  that  the  most  of  them  "  left  their 
country  for  their  country's  good  "  when  they  came  here. 
A  man  don't  emigrate  for  nothing,  and  I  expect  they  have 
been  run  out  of  the  Xorth  for  some  mean  acts,  and  have 
come  to  the  South  to  prey  upon  a  conquered  people." 

"  I    reckon  that's  so,  and    I  uonder   how  yo'  men   that 

m 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS.         9 

'a'n't  no  cliurcli  obligations  on  yo'  ken  keep  from  swearing 
when  yo'  think  of  it.  I  declar,  when  I  get  to  turning  it 
over  in  my  mind  I  get  so  mad  that  I  can't  hardly  keep 
from  it  myself.  As  yo'  war  saying,  it  reaches  everywhere. 
Less  than  half  the  people  is  white  to  be  sure,  but  then  we 
own  nine-tenths  o'  the  land,  and  yet  we  must  be  taxed  to 
support  nigger  schools,  and  niggers  an*!  carpet-baggers  in 
nil  the  offices,  and  new  offices  trumped  up  where  there  a'n't 
enough  to  serve  them  as  wants  'era — health  officers  in  every 
little  town,  and  scavengers  even,  under  pretense  of  fear  of 
yellow  fever,  to  give  salaries  to  dumb  niggers  as  don't 
know  nothing  only  how^  to  rob  Southern  gentlemen,  and  all 
sorts  of  yankee  "public  improvements  "  as  they  call  'era! 
Why,  I'm  taxed  this  year  to  mend  a  road  that  runs  down 
past  me  there,  and  nobody  but  niggers  never  travels  on  it. 
It  is  positively  in^ilting  and  oppressive!  " 

*'  Well,  Deacon,  I  suppose  your  statement  that  niggers 
and  carpet-baggers  are  in  all  the  offices  might  be  called  a 
slight  exaggeration,  but  then  we  could  sit  here  till  dark 
and  not  finish  enumerating  the  grievances  this  State  gov- 
ernment, backed  by  that  Ciesar  Grant,  at  Washington, 
imposes  upon  the  people  of  South  Carolina — those  that 
ought  to  be  the  ruling  class — the  South  Carolinians. 

"  But  the  best  thing  we  can  do  is  to  take  hold  of  these 
military  clubs  and  work  them;  and  in  that  way  bring  about 
a  better  state  of  things.  I,  for  one,  am  determined  this 
State  shall  go  Democratic  this  coming  fall;  and  if  we  unite 
in  this  method  I've  been  explaining  to  you,  we  can  effect  it. 


10  OTHEli   FOOLS   AND  THEIR  DOINGS. 

Just  bring  this  MississipiDi  method  up  in  your  club  to-night 
— or  support  Lamb,  if  he  does — and  we'll  whip  the  rascals. 
Xigger  voters  are  too  thick — must  be  weeded  out!" 

"That's  just  what  I'm  going  to  do,"  replied  Deacon  At- 
wood ;  "  and  in  order  to  do  it,  I  reckon  we'll  have  to  go 
on." 

"Yes;  my  sabre  club  meets  this  evening,  too,  for  drill_ 
So  good  evening!" 

"  Good  evening.  Captain."  And  the  two  men  separated. 
The  Captain  kept  the  main  road,  and  the  Deacon  took  a 
sort  of  back,  plantation  route,  seldom  traveled  except  by 
the  farmers  residing  upon  it,  where  he  soon  fell  into  deep 
meditation,  his  chin  dropping  upon  his  breast,  and  his  res- 
pii'ation  becoming  slow  and  heavy.  Ilis  old  white  horse, 
even,  seeming  to  pass  into  a  similar  state  of  somnam- 
bulency,  walked  dreamily  along,  till  his  nose,  far  down 
towards  the  ground,  came  in  contact  with  a  fresh  and  ten- 
der shrub,  around  w^hich  his  long  tongue  instinctively 
wrapped  itself,  and  he  came  to  a  full  stop. 

"Hud  up!"  said  the  startled  Deacon,  gathering  up  his 
bridle  with  a  nervous  jerk;  and  his  small  eyes  <]nickly 
swept  a  circle  around  him. 

With  something  like  a  shudder  and  an  audible  sigh  of 
relief,  he  composed  himself  again,  for  only  a  quiet  land- 
scape had  met  his  vision. 

A  swampy  forest  w^as  on  his  left  hand,  and  long  stretches 
of  scrub  palmettos,  interspersed  with  cotton-patches,  on  his 
right. 


OTIIEIi   FOOLS   AND   THEIPw   DOIXGS.  11 

Seeing  two  colored  men  at  work  in  one  of  the  latter,  and 
probably  feeling  a  need  of  human  companionship,  he  rode 
up  to  the  crooked  rail  fence,  and  shouted  "  Howdy?"' 

"Why,  howdy?  Deacon,  howdy?*'  was  the  friendly  re- 
sponse, as  one  of  the  men  laid  down  his  heavy  cotton  hoe, 
and  approached  the  fence. 

"  How  is  Avork,  January?"  asked  Deacon  Atwood,  pleas- 
antly?" 

"  I  gets  along  mighty  well,  I  thank  yo'.  I  hope  yo'  do," 
said  the  freedman,  who,  though  aboui  the  age  of  his  neigh- 
bor, was  too  much  accustomed  to  being  addressed  as  a  boy, 
and  by  his  Christian  name,  to  take  offense  at  the  faniil- 
iai'ity. 

"Well,  I'll  be  blamed  if  yu'  niggers  don't  get  along  bet- 
tern  tbe  white  folks  I  These  confounded  carpet-baggers 
are  larnin'  yo'  how  to  fleece  us  that  owns  the  land,  and 
bio  wed  if  yo'  ain't  doing  it!" 

•'Why,  Deacon,  I  don't  know  what  yo' mean.  I  ha'n't 
been  fleecing  nobody,  I'm  shor'.  If  God  Almighty  gives 
me  my  freedom,  and  gives  me  strength  to  work  what  land 
I'm  able,  and  makes  the  crops  grow,  why  ha'n't  I  a  rio-ht 
to  get  'long?  I  can't-  see  who's  hurt,  not  to  my  serious 
knowledge?" 

"  It  a'n't  yo'r  working,  it's  yo'r  voting.  Yo'  vote  them 
villains  into  office,  and  they're  bleeding  the  country  to 
deatli  with  taxes.  Now,  we  a'n't  gwine  to  stand  it.  All  the 
gentleman  has  agreed  together  that  yo've  got  to  come 
over  to  our  side.     It's  for  yo'r  interest  to  be  thar," 


12  OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

'•  Can't  do  it,  nohow,  Deacon,"  rejjlied  the  negro,  t^miliug 
good-humoredl}-. 

*'If  yo'  don't  there'll  lots  of  yo'  he  killed,"  said  Deacon 
A.,  kindling. 

"Xow,  Deacon  Atwood,"  said  January  Kelly,  deiiher- 
ately,  '*I  think  a  parcel  of  gentleman  that  was  raised  and 
been  collegc-hred,  men  that  Mould  undertake  to  ride  over 
things  by  killing  out  a  few  niggers — well,  I  think  its  a  very 
small  idea  for  an  educated  man.  I  think  they  must  have 
lost  all  conscience  of  heart;  I  think  all  conscience  of  heart 
are  gone  when  they  come  to  do  that,  I  doj  but  you  a'n't  in 
earnest,  Deacon  ?  You're  a  Christian  man.  I  ha'nt  got 
no  neighbors  as  would  hurt  me.  I'm  a  honest  man  as 
works  hard,  and  minds  my  own  business,  and  takes  care  o' 
my  family;  and  nobody  ain't  gwoine  to  kill  me,  nohow." 

"Oh,  no,  January;  nobody  won't  hurt  honest,  hard- 
working darkies  like  you,  if  they  let  politics  alone;  but 
then  there'll  be  lots  of  the  leaders  be  killed,  'fo'  election,  if 
just  such  men  as  yo'  don't  come  over  and  help  us  save 
the  State,"  said  the  Deacon. 

"Why  the  State  is  all  here.  I  don't  see  as  it's  lost,  nor 
gwoine  to  smash,  either;  and  if  we  have  a  Government 
we've  got  to  have  leaders.  If  all  the  men  stayed  to  home 
and  worked  land  like  I  do,  there  wouldn't  be  no  Govern- 
ment." 

"  So  much  the  better,"  snapped  the  Deacon.  "  The  strong 
could  take  care  of  themselves  and  look  out  for  the  weak 
ones  too." 


OTHER   FOOLS   AXD   THEIR   DOINGS.  13 

"Well,  I  don't  know  about  that.  The  rogues  would 
steal  and  kill  all  the  same,  and  who'd  take  care  of  our  lives 
and  our  property,  and  collect  the  taxes,  and  build  the 
bridges  the  war  burned  down,  and  the  school-houses,  and 
pay  the  teachers,  and  all  them  things  ?" 

"There  is  too  many  of  them  now;  and  South  Carolinians 
shall  rule  South  Carolina!"  broke  forth  Deacon  Atwood,  with 
great  vehemence;  "and  I  want  you  to  come  over  to  the 
democratic  party  where  you  won't  get  hurt.  We'll  all  help 
you  if  you  will." 

"  Why  Deacon,  I  thought  yo'  was  just  saying  we  is 
getting  along  the  best.  I  was  born  in  South  Car'lina,  an' 
so  was  mos'  all  the  collud  people  in  the  State  to-day,  and 
ain't  we  South  Carolinians  then  ?  Xow  all  I  has  got  to  say 
is,  that  Ws  a  mighty  mean  m^an  as  won't  stand  to  his  oion. 
It  war  the  'publican  party  as  made  me  a  free  man,  an'  I 
reckon  I  shall  vote  'publican  long  as  I  hreaves!  That  is 
all  I  can  say.  Deacon.     I  don't  know  no  mo'." 

"  Hud  up  !"  said  the  Deacon,  and  he  rode  abruptly  away. 

"  What  on  earth  has  come  over  Deacon  Atwood,  I  won- 
der," said  Mr.  Kelley,  to  a  tall,  muscular  black  man,  who, 
swinging  his  hoe  lazily,  had  at  length  planted  his  row 
abreast  with  the  spot  where  his  employer  had  dropped  his 
when  the  Deacon  saluted  him. 

"  Talking  'bout  politics,  I  reckon  :"  was  the  drawling 
reply. 

"Yes,  and  he  did  make  some  awful  threats  I  Why, 
Pompey,  he  said  they'd  lots  of  the  niggers  'round  here  get 


14       OTHER  FOOLS  AXD  THEIR  DOIXGS. 

killed  'fo' election  if  we  didn't  come  ovah  to  the  democratic 
party  !  Xow  I've  beam  that  kind  o'  talk  ever  since  recon- 
struction, but  I  never  did,  myself,  hear  the  Deacon,  nor  no 
such  'sj)ectable  and  'ligious  men  talk  it  'fu';  though  they 
say  they  did  talk  it,  an'  gone  done  it,  too,  in  some  places. 
He  says  it's  a  general  thing  now,  from  shor'  to  shor' this 
time  'mong  thegem'men.  He  says  the  taxes  is  ruining  the 
country,  an'  niggers  an'  carpet-baggers  is  in  all  the  offices, 
an'  the  money  is  wasted,  an'  there's  got  to  be  a  change." 

"  Oh, him  I     It's  just   the    odder    way  about 

— shutting  up  offices — doing  away  wid  'em,  an'  turning  de 
niggahs  out  to  make  room  for  old  confederate  soldiers  I  I 
hearn  Kanrasp,  an'  Striker,  an'  Rathburn,  an'  some  o'  them 
big  fellahs  talkin'  'bout  it  dar  in  Aiken." 

(Pompey  had  boarded  in  a  certain  public  institution  at 
the  county  seat  for  the  greater  safety  of  the  contents  of 
market-wagons  in  the  town  where  he  resided). 

"The  land  mos'  all  b'longs  to  the  white  folks,  sho  nuff, 
an'  the  rent  is  so  awful  high  that  a  nigger  has  got  to  work 
hisself  an'  his  family  mos'  to  death  to  keep  from  gittin' 
inter  debt  to  de  boss,  let  alone  a  decent  livin",  an'  now  the 
gem'men  is  bound  to  resist  the  taxes  fo'  the  scliools,  so  our 
chillun  can't  have  no  schools.  I  thinks  it's  toughest  on 
our  side  !"  said  Kelley. 

"  Kanrasp  said  de  Governor  is  doin'  splendid,"  continued 
Pompey,  "  cuttin'  down  expenses  so  dey  is  a  gwoine  to 
save  a  million  an'  seventeen  hundred  an'  nineteen  thousand 
dollars  an'  mo'  in  one  year;  or  he  did  save  it  last  year," 


OTHER  FOOLS   AXD   THEIR   DOINGS.  15 

(Pompey  had  a  memory  for  numbers,  though  neither  gift 
nor  training  for  mathematical  calculations.) 

"  Striker,  he  was  mad  cause  de  Governor  made  'era  put 
down  an'  print  just  ebberyting  wouldn't  let  'em  buy  no 
"sundies"  or  somethings — I  do'nt  know.  De  white  folks 
wouldn't  let  de  niggers  have  no  money  in  old  slave  times, 
an'  now  dis  Governor  Chamberlain  dat  'tends  to  be  a 'pub- 
lican, he  makes  de  nigger  an'  de  Legislature  men  as  come 
from  de  North  be  mighty  careful  dey  don't  get  no  cent  o' 
de  white  folk's  taxes  'thout  printing  jes'what  it's  all 
boughtened." 

"Well,  now,  that's  right  and  honest  like,"  replied  Kelly, 
"  'cause  they've  been  thieves  don't  make  it  right  for  us  to 
steal;  and  then  the  niggers  pays  taxes,  too,  and  don't  ort  to 
be  cheated  neither;  and  I'd  like  to  know  if  them  ways  don't 
make  the  taxes  easier?  They  do  say  they  was  a  mighty 
sight  o'  stealin'  from  the  treasury  going  on  thar  in  Colum- 
bya  a  while  ago.  I  reckon  Governer  Chamberlain  is  a  honest 
man,  and  don't  steal  hisself  neither." 

"  Certainly,  de  taxes  is  easier.  Lawyer  Crafty,  dar  in 
Aiken — he's  a  democrat  too,  you  know — he  joined  in  de 
talk  some,  and  he  said  it  is  easier'n  it  was;  fo'  de  taxes 
used  to  be  thirteen  or  sixteen  mills  on  a  dollar  (if  yo'  know 
what  dat  means),  but  now  it  is  only  eleven." 

"  I  don't  prezackly  understood  it,"  said  Kelly,  "  but  I 
know  eleven  ain't  so  much  as  thirteen  nor  sixteen;  and  I  do 
reckon  it  makes  it  easier.  I  reckon  it's  mo'  cause  the  white 
folks  wants  all  the  money  and  the  offices  tbeirselves,  as 
makes  the  fuss." 


16  OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

"  Yes,"  drawled  Pompey,  "  and  dey  makes  any  man  a 
carpet-bagger  dat  wa'n't  baun  in  de  South,  an'  some  'publi- 
cans as  was.  De  Governor  has  been  in  de  State,  an'  all  he's 
got,  now  'leven  year;  Kanrasp  said  so;  an'  Cummings — de 
head  teacher  o'  de  big  school  in  Columby — de  Yersity  dey 
calls  it — he's  been  in  de  South  thirty  year  an' mo';  an' dey  calls 
him  a  carpet-bagger,  too,  an'  all  his  boys;  but  de  boys  was 
baun  here.  But  den  dey  is  'publicans  an'  teaches  niggers, 
too,  I  wonder  is  dey  any  carpet-baggers  up  Xorth  or  any- 
where ?" 

"I  don't  know,  I  never  did  hear  tell  of  'em;  but  the  Xo'th 
beat  in  the  wa',  you  know.  But  'bout  this  killin'  niggers; 
I'm  a  thinken,  the  Lo'd  knows  we  has  had  enough  o'that: 
but  I  can't  help  thinking,"  said  Kelly,  and  the  two  men  en- 
tered into  a  long  conversation  upon  the  subject  which  we 
Avill  not  follow^  as  our  present  interest  is  with  Deacon  At- 
wood,  who  had  resumed  his  way  with  Kelly's  quaint  and 
expressive  phrase  "  must  have  lost  all  conscience  of  heart," 
as  his  constant  and  sole  companion,  for  he  had  not  yet 
"  lost  all  conscience  of  heart." 

Arrived  at  home,  he  ate  his  evening  meal  in  haste  and 
silence,  and  immediately  set  out  for  the  hall  where  his  Rifle 
Club  met,  accompanied  by  his  eldest  son,  who  was  a  minor 
by  a  few  months. 

Mrs.  A.  shouted  after  him,  admonishing  to  an  early  re- 
turn, as  she  did  "  detest  these  night  meetings,  anyhow." 

The  father  and  son  rode  in  silence, while  the  short  South- 
ern twilight  faded,  and  night  settled  upon  the  picturesque 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  17 

landscape,  soft  as  the  brooding  wing  of  peace;  and  balmy- 
breezes  rustled  through  the  gigantic  long-leaved  j)ines  and 
mammoth  live-oaks,  and  over  fields  of  sprouting  corn  and 
cotton;  and  the  dark  soil  seemed  to  sleep  calmly  and  sweet- 
ly under  the  white  moonlight  and  a  sprinkling  of  white 
sand,  which  sparkled  like  snow. 

"Watson,  my  son,"  said  the  Deacon  at  length. 

"Yes,  father." 

An  ominous  silence  w^arned  the  boy  of  a  weighty  com- 
munication forthcoming. 

"I'd  rather  yo'd 'a  'staid  to  liom.e  to-night,  but  as  I'd 
promised  yo'  going,  it  couldn't  be  helped.  I  reckon  we'll 
have  an  exciting  time,  but  now  as  yo'  are  a  going,  try  to 
keep  cool.  Like  enough  thar'll  be  some  things  said  that 
better  not;  but  as  yo'll  be  present,  now  mind  what  I  say, 
and  keep  cool.  Try  to  be  careful.  Don't  get  excited  nor  be 
imprudent.  It'll  do  for  us  to  foller  the  rest.  Just  let  tliem 
take  the  lead  and  the  responsibility." 

"Well,  father,"  replied  the  youth  demurely,  well  knowing 
that  his  cautious  parent  would  be  the  first  tinder  to  take 
fire  and  lead  any  conflagration  that  might  be  imminent. 

It  is  not  to  our  purpose  to  report  the  doings  of  that  po- 
litical Rifle  Club's  meeting — the  stirring  speeches  of  citizens 
of  the  State,  who  forgot  that  they  were  also  citizens  of  the 
Nation  against  which  their  treasonable  resolutions  were 
moved,  discussed,  and  voted;  nor  the  inflammatory  harangues 
of  Deacon  Atwood;  nor  the  courageous  utterances  of  one 
little   man   of   broader   intelligence    and   views    than   his 


18  OTHER   FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS. 

neighbors,  who  urged  that  the  coming  political  campaign 
be  prosecuted  in  a  fair,  straightforward,  lawful  and  honest 
manner,  which  should  command  respect  everywhere,  and 
convince  the  hitherto  intractable  colored  voters  that  their 
former  masters  were  disposed  to  accept  the  situation  result- 
ant upon  the  war,  and  with  their  support,  reconstruct  the 
politics  of  the  State  upon  a  basis  of  mutual  interests,  in 
place  of  the  antagonism  of  races  which  had  prevailed  ever 
since  the  emancii^ation  and  enfranchisement  of  the  slaves. 

While  these  discussions  relieved  over-accumulations  of 
eloquence  and  over-wrought  imaginations,  they  also  dis- 
closed the  true  state  of  feeling,  and  the  deep  smouldering 
embers  of  bitterness  that  once  "  fired  the  Southern  heart"  to 
fratricidal  war. 

Unfortunately,  good  and  calming  counsels  often  gain 
least  by  interchange  of  expression  with  those  of  passion, 
and  so  it  came  that  young  men,  and  men  whose  years  should 
have  brought  them  ripe  judgment,  but  did  not,  shuddered 
the  next  morning  at  the  recollection  of  words  they  had 
uttered,  and  decisions  made  in  that  club-room,  from  which 
it  would  be  difficult  to  recede. 

Betrayed  by  his  sanguine  temperament  and  his  implaca- 
Ijle  foe — the  love  of  strong  drink — Deacon  Atwood  was 
one  of  these. 

"It's  a  pretty  pass  when  a  man  at  yo'r  time  of  life  stays 
out  till  two  o'clock  in  the  mornin'  drinkin',  and  mercy 
knows  what,  I  do  declar!"  said  Mrs.  A.  as  she  met  her 
liege  lord  at  the  door  of   their   domicile,  ^'  And   takin'  his 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR   DOINGS.  19 

only  son  out  to  initiate  him,  too,  and  yo'  a  cliiirch  officer.'' 

"  Wh — \vh — wliy  didn't  yo'  go  to  bed,  Ja — J  a — Janette, 
I  didn't  ex — ex — expect  to  find  yo'  up." 

"  No,  I  shouldn't  reckon  yo'  did,  judging  by  yo'  exes. 
Making  a  fool  and  a  beast  o'  yo'self,  and  tempting  yo'  son, 
when  we've  been  praying  for  his  conversion  so  long." 

"  AVal  Ja — Janette,  yo'  'ort  to  lia'  prayed  for  rae,  too,  fo' 
I've  made  a  'nough  sight  mo'  fool  o'  myself  than  Wat  has  o' 
hissen.  But  I've  been  true  to  the  State,"  drawled  and 
stammered  the  Deacon,  with  thick  and  maudlin  utterance, 
"and  if  I  could  stand  as  much  w'iskey  as  some  on  em,  I'd 
a'  been  true  to  myself  also.  But  who's  been  here,  Ja — 
Janette?"  Vainly  trying  to  stand  erect,  and  pointing 
with  nerveless  finger  to  an  armful  of  crooked  sticks  that 
lay  upon  the  blazing  hearth.     "Who  brung  'em  in?" 

"It  wa'n't  yo',  Deaco!i  At  wood;  I  might  ha'  froze  to 
death  walking  this  house,  and  nigh  faintiiig  with  fear, 
thinking  some  nigger  had  outened  yo'  smoke  fo'  yo'  fo' 
alius'  on  this  earth."  (He  was  fumbling  in  his  pocket  for  an 
old  clay  pipe  he  carried  there.)  "I  do  believe  uncle  Jesse 
and  aunt  Phebe  are  the  best  Christians  on  this  plantation. 
Yo'r  old  mother  took  her  toddy,  and  went  to  snoring 
hours  ago,  thinking  nothing  o'  what  might  happen  yo' — 
her  only  son,  who  she's  dependent  on  to  manage  all  her 
thousand  acres  o'  land;  though  gracious  knows  I  wish  she'd 
give  yo'  a  foot  or  two  of  it,  without  waiting  to  all  eternity 
fo'  her  to  die  'fo'  we  can  call  an  earthly  thing  our 
own.     I  couldn't    get   that  story  I   hearn  yo'  telling   Den 


20  OTHER   FOOLS    AND   THEIR   DOINGS. 

liardoTi  'to'lher  day,  out  o' my  head,  and  I  war  that  scarred 
1  could'nt  go  to  bed." 

"  What  :^tory  was  that?"  asked  Watson,  as  he  hnng  his 
whip  and  saddle  upon  a  wooden  peg  in  a  corner  of  the 
kitchen  where  the  trio  were. 

"  Wliy,  about  that  Texas  Jack  that  is  around  here,  killing 
niggers  and  everybody;  and  he  don't  have  more  'n  a  word 
with  a  man  till  he  shoots  him  down.  If  I  had  a  knowed. 
yo' was  coming  home  tight,  father,  I'd  a  been  scarred  'clar 
to  death  shor'.  A  pretty  mess  yo'll  hev'  in  the  church 
now,  Deacon  Atwood!  Elder  Titmouse  '11  be  after  yo' 
shor." 

"  Hi,  hi,  hi,"  laughed  the  Deacon.  "  Hie,  a-hic,  a-hic, 
hi,  hi.  No  danger  o'  that,  old  gal.  He'd  have  to  be  after 
the  whole  church,  and  take  the  lead  of  the  leaviners  his- 
self.  He's  the  Chaplain  o'  the  Club,  and  the  d-r-u-n-kest 
man  in  town  to-night.  The  old  bell-sheep  jumped  the 
fence  first,  and  helter  skelter  !  all  the  flock  jumped  after 
him.  Hick,  a-hic.  But  who,  hie,  taken  that  wood,  hie, 
from  the  yard,  hie,  and  brung  it  thar  ?"  demanded  the 
head  o'  the  house,  with  changed  mood,  ominous  of  a  com- 
ing domestic  storm.  "  Dina's  gone,  and  Tom's  gone,  and 
yo'  wouldn't  do  it  if  yo'  froze." 

"  Wal,  now,  I  was  feeling  powerful  bad,  a-walking  the 
house,  and  crying  and  praying  mighty  hard,  and  fust  I 
knowed  I  heard  a  humming  and  a  singing,  and  who  should 
come  up  to  the  do'  but  Aunt  Phebe,  and  Uncle  Jesse  close 
behind  ?    They  reckoned  thar  was  sickness,  and  they  come 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR   DOINGS.  21 

to  help.  Now,  I  call  that  Cbristian,  if  they  he  niggers. 
"  Why  yo're  freezing,"  says  Uncle  Jess,  "  and  yo'll  git  the 
fever."  So  he  brung  the  wood  and  made  the  fire,  and  we 
all  i)rayed  for  yo\  aheap  mo'n  yo're  worth  ;  fo',  as  I  say,  I 
Avar  a  thinking  o'  Texas  Jack.  "When  we  hcahed  ole  Duke 
whinny  they  went  home,  and  this  minute  they've  blowed 
their  light  out." 

"  Hi  !  hi  !  Old  gal,  we've  been  making  Texas  Jacks — 
setting  'cm  up  all  night  ;  and  they'll  be  thicker  'n  bumble 
bees  and  yaller  jackets  'fo'  'lection.  But  they  don't  know 
how  to  kill  nobody  but  radicals — niggers  and  carpet-bag- 
gers and  scalawags." 

"  Now,  Deacon,  if  yo've  been  setting  up  anything  agin 
such  men  as  Jesse  and  Den,  aud  Penny  Loo,  I  just  hope 
yo'll  git  chawed  up  by  yo're  own  Jacks  ?"  said  this  South- 
ern aristocratic  female  Christian,  in  great  ire. 

"  Xo  danger  o'  Texas  Jack's  hurting  me.  He  won't  chaw 
his  own  arms,"  shouted  the  Deacon,  triumphantly.  "I'm 
fo'  defending  the  State  and  the  white  man's  rights;  South 
Car'linans  shall  rule  South  Car'lina,"  and  he  reeled  about  the 
room,  swmging  his  limp  arms,  and  shouting,  "  Hurrah  for 
South  Carlina  !     Hurrah  for  the  old  Pal-met-to  State  !" 

"Come,  come  father,"  said  his  son,  "let  me  help  you  to 
bed.  You  talk  like  a  crazy  man."  With  the  assistance  of 
Mrs.  A.,  the  Deacon  was  soon  where  his  lips  were  safely 
guarded  by  slumber. 

"  It  is  a  pity  you  hadn't  let  father  join  the  Good  Temp- 
lerg    with  me,  but   may  be   he  wouldn't  ha'   stuck  to  the 


22  OTIIER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

pledge,"  said  the  boy,  sadly,  as  he  bade  his  mother  good 
night. 

Xoar  eleven  o'clock  the  next  morning,  with  nerves  un- 
strung, head  sore,  and  stomach  disordered,  and  altogether 
in  an  irritable  condition  of  mind  and  body,  Deacon  At- 
wood  sauntered  oat  into  one  of  his  mother's  fields,  where  a 
laro-e  mulatto  man  was  mending  a  somewhat  dilapidated 
rail-fence.  The  hands  of  the  farmer,  were  keeping  time  to 
a  succession  of  old  plantation  "spirituals  "  which  rolled 
from  his  capacious  chest  like  the  sound  of  a  trumpet. 

"  O,  believer,  go  ring  that  be — 1 — 1." 
***** 

"  Don't   you    think    I'm    gwoine    to  ring  that  beautiful 

bel— 1— 1  ?" 

«  *  «  * 

"This  winter'U  soon  be  ovah." 

*  *  *  ♦  ♦ 

"  When  the  bride-grooms  comes." 

*  *  *  «  * 

"  We'll  march  through  the  valley  in  that  field." 
"Yo'   seem  to  l^e  mighty   happy    this   morning,  Jesse," 
growled  the  Deacon. 

"  Well,  Deacon,  why  shouldn't  I  be  happy  ?  I'm  well, 
and  my  wife  is  well,  and  m}"  children  is  well,  and  we're  all 
about  our  business,  and  the  children  in  school  a  learning, 
and  God  Almighty  is  saving  my  soul,  and  raining  his  spirit 
into  my  soul,  and  raining  this  beautiful  sunshine  down  unto 
the  cawn   (corn)  and   the  cotton,  to  make  'em    grow,  and 


OTHER   FOOLS   AND    THEIR    DOIXGS.  23 

why  shouldn't  I  sing?  Why,  brother  Atwood,  I  feel  like 
I'd  like  to  ring  that  beautiful  bell  so  loud  that  all  the  folks 
in  the  worl'  'd  hear  it;  a  proclaiming  that  the  Lord  Jesus 
'11  save  every  poor  sinnah  that'll  let  liim,"  and  the  dark 
face  shone  with  the  spirit-beams  that  glowed  within. 

The  Deacon  winced  under  the  churchly  title  of  brother- 
hood, and  what  he  thought  a  covert  reproof,  but  yielding 
to  the  power  of  a  stronger  and  more  rational  nature  than 
his  own,  he  did  not  remark  upon  it,  though  fondly  imagin- 
ing that  he  felt  himself  vastly  the  superior. 

"  It  is  well  enough  to  be  happy  if  yo'  can,  I  reckon,"  said 
he,  snappishly,  "  but  I  don't  feel  so.  I  confess  I'm  thinking 
more  about  politics  now-a-days  than  about  religion." 

"  That's  no  wonder  then  that  yo'  a'n't  happy.  It  don't 
pay  to  get  away  from  the  Laud  into  politics — brings 
trouble." 

"  Oh,  a  plague  on  yo'r  preaching!  We  must  attend  to 
politics  sometime  :  we  can't  leave  it  to  yo'  niggers  all  the 
time.  The  Democratic  Party  has  got  to  beat  next  fall,  or 
we'll  all  be  ruined  together." 

"Of  course  it  is  right  for  you  to  think  about  politics," 
replied  Jesse,  "and  to  talk  about  politics,  and  to  vote  about 
politics,  but  you  know  " what-sa-eve?'  ye  do— whether  ye 
eat,  or  drink,  or  what-sa-ever  ye  do,  you  must  be  a  thinking 
of  the  glory  of  the  Laud." 

"We  wouldn't  have  no  trouble  in  carrying  this  next 
election  if  it  wasn't  for  those  lea-^ling  radicals,"  sr.id  the 
Deacon,  in  an  angi-y  mood,  which  had  not  been  improved 


24  OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

by  Uncle  Jesse's  reproof.  "There  is  not  more  than  one 
in  a  thousand  of  the  niggers  that  knows  how  to  read  and 
write,  but  is  an  office-seeker  •  but  I  tell  yo',  Jesse,  every 
one  of  'era  will  be  killed  !" 

A  silence  ensued,  during  which  Deacon  Atwood  repeat- 
edly thrust  his  heel  into  tlie  soft  soil,  and  turning  the  toe 
of  his  boot  about,  as  though  crushing  some  reptile,  ho 
made  a  row  of  circular  depressions  along  the  side  of  a 
cotton  hill. 

Pausing  in  his  work,  and  pointing  at  the  busy,  great 
foot,  Mr.  Koome  (for  that  was  Uncle  Jesse's  name)  re- 
marked, with  a  broad  smile,  "Deacon  Atwood,  them  is 
nice  looking  little  places  you're  making  there,  but  allow 
mc  to  tell  you  that  I  reckon  your  wife  won't  like  the  looks 
o'  that  black  streak  you'r  making  on  the  bottom  of  that 
leg  o'  them  light-colored  trousers  o'  yourn." 

Vexed  beyond  control  that  he  could  not  disturb  the 
equanimity  of  the  colored  man,  the  irate  Deacon  now 
Rqur.red  himself  about,  and,  thrusting  both  his  itching  fists 
deej)  into  the  pockets  of  the  abused  articles  of  his  apparel, 
he  looked  fiercely  into  the  face  of  the  negro,  saying: 

"Maybe  you  don't  believe  me,  but  it  is  true,  and  all 
settled;  and  I'll  bet  you  that  Elly  and  Watta  and  Kanrasp 
will  be  killed  before  another  'lection,  and  I  can  give  you 
the  names  of  twenty  more  that  will  be  killed,  and  among 
them  is  "Old  Bald-head  "  (the  Governor). 

A  shadow  passed  quickly  across  the  dusky  face,  and  a 
set  of  fine  teeth  were  firmly  set  together  for  a   moment. 


OTilEU  FOOLS  A>'D   THEIR  DOINGS.  2d 

But  that  soon  passed,  and  the  face  wore  its  usual  ex- 
pression: "What  are  you  going  to  do  with  President 
Grant  and  liis  soldiers  ?" 

"  Oh,  all  the  Xo'th  is  on  our  side,"  was  the  prompt 
response.  "And  if  it  a'n't,  we  don't  care  for  Grant  nor 
his  soldiers.     I  carried  a  gun  once,  and  I  can  again." 

The  farmer  had  completed  his  work,  and,  folding  his 
arras,  he  now  confronted  his  "  Boss,"  and  spoke  slowly  and 
impressively. 

"Mind,  now,  what  you're  doing,  Deacon,  for  the  United 
States  is  rniglity  stroyig.  You  recollect  once  you  had  two 
Presidents  here,  and  it  cost  a  long  and  bloody  war,  and  the 
country  ha'n't  got  over  it  yet." 

"Yes,  sir,  but  the  No'th  is  on  our  side  now,  I  tell  yo', 
and  we  shall  be  able  to  carry  our  point." 

"  May  be  so,  I  can't  tell,"  said  Jesse,  dropping  his  hands 
by  his  sides,  "but  I  shall  be  very  sorry  to  see  another  war 
started  here,  and  I  didn't  live  in  the  Xo'th  from  '61  to  '67 
to  come  back  here  and  believe  that  the  people  there  is 
going  to  stand  by  you  in  killing  us  off  to  carry  the  elec- 
tion. Maybe  they're  tired  of  protecting  us,  and  disgusted 
with  our  blunders  and  our  ignorance,  but  they  won't  join 
you   nor  nobody,  nor  uphold   nobody  in  killing  us  off  that 


wav 


7     " 


"Well,  you'll  see  we  shall  carry  this  next  'lection  if  we 
have  to  carry  it  with  the  musket — if  we  have  to  wade 
through  blood  to  our  saddle-girthj:,"  said  the  Deacon, 
^*  And  more — this  black  Militia  Company  at  Baconsville  has 


2G  OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

got  to  stop  drilling  ;  it  has  got  to  be  broken  up.  It  is  too 
much  for  southern  gentlemen  to  stand  — flaunting  their 
flag  and  beating  their  drum  right  under  our  noses  I  It  is  a 
general  thing  with  us  now  from  shor'  to  slior',  and  the  law 
can't  do  nothing  with' so  many  of  us  if  we  do  break  it  up, 
and  we're  going  to." 

"Now,  just  be  careful,  Mr.  Atwood,  what  you  sny,  and 
what  you  do.  I  a'n't  going  to  uphold  our  colored  folks  in 
violating  no  law,  and  you  know  I  ha'n't,  nor  nobody  else 
neither.  I  believe  in  law,  and  I  say  let's  stick  by  the  law; 
and,"  gathering  up  his  implements  of  labor,  "I  suppose 
you'll  excuse  me,  for  I've  got  to  go  around  to  the  other 
side  of  this  oat  field,  by  the  woods  there,  and  mend  that 
other  gap  ;  that  is,  if  you  don't  care  to  walk  around  that 
way." 

The  Deacon  did  not  care  to  walk  that  way,  and  so  the 
conversation  ended  for  the  time ;  though  the  subject  was 
frequently  renewed  during  the  subsequent  summer  months, 
in  the  hope  of  inducing  Roome,  who  was  influential  among 
his  people,  to  declare  for  the  white  man's  party,  but  in 
vain. 

A  scion  of  a  family  that,  in  the  early  settlement  of  the 
State,  had  procured  a  large  tract  of  land  at  five  cents  per 
acre,  and  had  retained  much  of  it  through  unprolific  gener- 
ations by  penuriousness  that  had  been  niggardly  and  cruel 
in  its  exactions  upon  slave  labor,  Deacon  Atwood  Avas 
coarse  and  gross  in  temperament,  and  had  received  little 
culture   of  any   kind,     AH    his  patrimony   had   vanished 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  2( 

through  the  Avar  and  its  results;  for  tlie  parsimony  of  his 
ancestors  liad  formed  no  part  of  liis  inheritance,  and  he  had 
pledged  all  for  the  Confederate  loan. 

Ilis  a<^ed  mother — a  violent  rebel,  and  a  widow  hefore 
the  war — yet  refused  to  pledge  her  land  to  raise  funds  for 
what  became  the  "  Lost  Cause,"  and  found  means  to  retain 
possession  of  one  thousand  acres  of  cotton  land,  for  the  man- 
agement of  which  her  son  was  now  acting  as  her  agent.  Mrs. 
Deacon  Atwood  was  what  the  reader  has  seen  her,  and  not 
an  ill-selected  specimen  of  the  average  planters'  wives, 
who  but  seldom  left  the  schoolless  vicinities  of  their 
homes;  and  as  her  family  had  fared  no  better  than  her  hus- 
band's in  the  general  financial  overthrow,  they  were  quite 
naturally  and  rapidly  drifting  towards  their  affinity— the 
sorial  stratum  called  in  anti-bellum  times,  "poor  w^hite 
trash." 


28  OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 


CHAPTER    II. 

DISTRUST. 

"  The  murky  shades  o'  care 
With  starless  gloom  o'ercast  my  sullen  sky." 

— BUKN'S. 

"  Walk  in,  Mr.  Roome;  walk  in.  Glad  to  see  you.  Have 
a  chair?  Well,  what  is  the  news  from  Bean  Island  and 
Baconsville  ?" 

"Bad,  I\Ir.  Elly,  bad!"  replied  Uncle  Jesse,  as  he  seated 
himself,  and  took  from  his  hat  a  huge  red  cotton  pocket- 
handkerchief,  with  which  he  proceeded  with  great  delib- 
eration to  wipe  his  dusky  face  and  bald  head. 

"  I  did  not  knovv'  it  was  so  warm  out,"  said  the  courteous 
host.  *'  This  office  is  such  a  cool  i^lace  that  I  come  up  here 
Sunday  afternoons  to  be  cool  and  quiet.  It  is  a  good  place 
to  read." 

"  I  reckon  it  is  not  so  warm  to  most  folks.  I'm  hotter'n  I 
ought  to  be,  I  know;  but  I'm  worreted,"  said  Uncle  Jesse, 
still  wiping  industriously  with  both  hands  at  once,  and 
then  thrusting  the  handkerchief  into  his  hat  which  he  had 
been  holding  tightly  between  his  knees,  he  placed  it  care- 
fully upon  the  floor  beside  him,  and  putting  a  hand  upon 
either  knee,  he  leaned  forward,  looked  earnestly  into  Mr. 
Elly's  face,  and  with  a  significant  expression,  and  in  a  low 
tone  asked,  "Is  you  alone,  Mr.  Elly?" 


OTHER  FOOLf.   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 


29 


"Yes;  or,  but— well,  ]Mr.  Watta  is  in  the  back  office,  but 
1  ean  close  the  door  "—rising. 

"Xo,  no,"  said  Uncle  Jesse,  raising  both  hands  depreca- 
tingly.  "  Ask  him  in;  ask  him  in.  Or,  why  can't  I  go  in 
there?"  glancing  around  at  doors  and  windows. 

"Certainly  you  can,"  replied  Elly.  "Did  you  want  to 
pee  Mr.  Watta?" 

"  I  reckon  so;  yes.  Well,  now,  this  is  what  I  call  provi- 
dential; and  I  reckon  I  wasn't  fur  wrong  in  corain-,  if  it  is 
Sunday.  The  folks  in  No'thern  Ohio  don't  do  no  business 
on  Sundays,  and  money  paid  Sunday  a'n't  paid  at  all— can 
be  collected  over  again;  but  work  is  driving  awfully  now. 
riie  freshet  put  the  cawn  back  so  for  awhile;  but  it  is 
/^etching  up  nov/.     But  I  knowed  I  ought  to  come." 

Handshakings  and  preliminaries  over,  the  trio  were  soon 
seated  around  a  large  M'riting  table— colored  men  all  of 
them.  Both  Elly  and  AYatta  were  tall  and  slender— the 
former  quite  black,  and  the  lattervery  light— and  both  had 
enjoyed  the  blessing  of  education  at  a  Northern  school 
established  for  the  benefit  of  freedmen,  and  almost  sancti- 
fied to  the  race  by  bearing  the  name  of  "  Lincoln." 

Jesse  Roome's  northern  experiences  had  not  been  with 
books,  save  at  evening  schools,  of  which  he  had  eagerly 
availed  himself;  but  his  naturally  well-balanced  mind  and 
keen  powers  of  observation  had  not  been  idle;  and  sensible 
ideas  of  common  duties  and  relations  of  life  in  a  highly- 
civilized  and  enlightened  community  were  his  reward. 
Ellv  was  a  thriving  lawyer  and  ex-member  of  the  Stat© 


30  OTHER  FOOLS  AXD   THEIR  DOINGS. 

Legislature,  where  he  had  been  "  Speaker  of  the  House," 
and,  ever  with  an  eye  to  business,  he  had  already  scented  a 
fee  in  his  visitor's  troubled  manner  and  reply. 

"You  must  excuse  my  abruptness,  but  I  leave  on  the 
train  for  Columbia  in  half  an  hour,"  said  he,  "and  you  and 
Watta  can  talk  after  I  am  gone.     Now,  what  can  I  do  for 


vou 


V" 


"First  of  all,  I  want  some  money  for  my  services  as 
constable;  and  second  I  want  to  talk  al)Out  the  political 
situation,  and  to  tell  you  some  things  I  have  heard  men  say 
that  is  interested.     Well,  how  I  got  to  know  this  thing — " 

•'What  thing?''  asked  the  lawyer.  "Why,  th:  t  Elly 
and  Watta  and  Kanrasp  and  some  score  of  other  radicals, 
has  got  to  be  killed,"  said  Uncle  Jesse,  lowering  his  voice 
to   a  husky  whisper. 

"Ha!  ha!  ha?"  roared  Elly,  throwing  himself  back  in  his 
chair,  till  his  head  seemed  in  danger  of  getting  wedged  be- 
tween the  chair-back  and  a  bookcase  behind  him.  "Why, 
Roome,  I  thought  you  was  a  sensible  man,"  said  he,  when 
he  had  recovered  his  breath.  '^  The  days  of  the  Ku-Klux 
Klan's  are  over,  and  all  done  in  this  State.  When  vre  pun- 
ished two  hundred  and  fifty  of  the  fifteen  hundred  'very 
respectable  gentlemen,' as  they  called  each  other,  who  were^ 
arrested  in  1871-'2,  the  thing  was  killed  out  here,  you  see." 

"No,  I  don't  see,"  said  Roome. 

"But  do  you  suppose  a  man  really  means  what  he  says 
when  he  talks  like  that  now-a-days?"  and  tjic  two  threatened 
men  laughed,  and  Avriggled  in  great  apparent  merriment, 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  31 

and  in  true  negro  fashion,  tliough  really  quaking  with  fear. 

*'  I  certainly  do  believe  it,  Mr.  Elly,  and  Mr.  Watta,  and 
I  only  hope  the  good  Laud  will  show  that  I've  been  afeared 
for  you  for  nothing.  The  parties  was  in  earnest,  and  in- 
tended it,  I'm  shor';  and  you  know  I'm  not  a  old  woman, 
nor  a  baby  to  be  scart  for  nothing. 

"I've  took  the  trouble  to  resk  my  life  to  tell  yo'  to  take 
care  of  you'n,  and  now  I've  done  my  part.  I  didn't  tell 
Watta  right  there  to  home,  because  I  reckon  as  yo'  is  a 
lawyer,  Mr.  Elly,  I'd  best  tell  you  first,  and  see  what  is 
best  to  do  for  your  protection.  I  taken  trouble  to  do  this. 
But  "Watta  is  here  now,  and  I'm  done."  said  the  old  man  in 
a  grieved  tone. 

"We  are  much  obliged  for  your  kind  intentions,  though 
you  needn't  have  been  so  much  scared  about  us." 

"Well,  now,  let  me  tell  you,"  and  the  farmer  proceeded 
to  narrate  minutely  the  incidents  and  facts  with  which  the 
reader  is  already  acquainted,  and  others  of   similar  import. 

"Give  me  names  and  I'll  put  them  through  in  the  law, 
for  threats,"  said  Elly. 

"I  can't  do  that,"  said  Jesse,  folding  his  arras  tightly. 

"  Why  not  ?" 

"  Because  I  live  in  the  woods,  and  my  life  wouldn't  be 
worth  anything;  and  I  a'n't  going  to  tell  yo',  though  you'll 
believe  me  yet." 

"I  believe  you  now,  but  I  don't  believe  you're  a  white 
man." 

"  You  will  yet  tliough,  I  ha'n't  nothing  more  to  say  now, 


32  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

but  just  mind  what  I  tell  you.  You  is  both  men  that  is 
marked  to  be  killed,  because  you  is  leading  radicals;  so 
the  white  folks  says  they  is  gwine  to  kill  you  and  a  score 
more  right  round  here  close;  I  can't  help  it,  but  I've  done 
my  duty,  and  you  must  take  car'  of  yourselves.  It  wouldn't 
be  no  use  to  prosecute  this  man.  It  would  only  make  the 
whole  of  'em  mad,  and  vrorse  than  ever  'em  open  a  hornet's 
nest;  bat  I  want  to  ax  you  this  favor,  just  remember  my 
life  novv-,  as  I've  remembered  your'n,  and  not  tell  that  I 
told  you  this." 

"Oh,  we  won't  tell,  and  weVe  much  obliged  to  you  for 
your  good  intentions  but  we  don't  scare  worth  a  cent, 
after  all." 

Uncle  Jesse  left  the  office,  and  the  other  men  walked 
down  to  the  railroad  station  to  meet  the  through  train  going 
north. 

"What  do  you  think  of  the  old  man's  story  ?"  asked 
Watta. 

"I  don't  think  much  of  it.  He  has  maintained  such  an 
equivocal  attitude  that  it  is  hard  to  tell  Avh"ise  hands  he  is 
playing  into.  He  has  been  on  one  side  and  then  on  the 
other — with  the  colored  people  and  then  with  the  whites, 
till  there  is  no  telling  where  he  is  now." 

"Elly,  you  are  unfair.  That  man  is  just  as  true  as  steel; 
he  is  solid  jxold  all  throuGch.  He  is  with  the  side  that  is 
right,  that  is  all,  only  he  has  more  courage  to  speak  out 
than  some  of  us  have.  I  reckon  the  fact  is  that  the  right 
hasn't  always  been  the  colored  side.     I'm  afraid  it  hasn't. 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND  THEIR  DOINGS.  33 

though  we've  had  so  much  the  worst  chance  since  we've 
had  a  chaiice  at  all,  and  sucli  an  outrageous  list  of  grievan- 
ces to  rcnieniber,  and  to  bear,  that  it  isn't  an  ordinary  man 
that  can  look  at  things  fairly  here." 

"Now,  I  have  a  mind  to  think  there  is  something  serious 
in  this  matter,  and  that  there  will  be  more  and  more  as 
election  aj^proaches.  The  white  men  at  Baconsville  are 
mcful  mad,  because  our  Militia  Company  has  been  re- 
organized lately,  and  has  been  prepaing  for  the  centennial 
Fourth  of  July.  One  would  think  they  expected  to  be 
massacred  in  their  beds  ;  and  so  they  go  to  work  and  do 
things  that  might  make  every  nigger  mad  at  them.  Sensi- 
ble, isn't  it? 

"  They  are  just  raving,  the  white  men  are,  some  of  them, 
and  they  do  talk  dreadfully.  Old  man  Bob  Baker  there, 
gets  into  a  passion  whenever  he  sees  us  drilling  on  Market 
street.  He  hates  to  see  a  nigger  he  has  hunted  in  the 
swamps  before  the  war,  and  his  dogs  couldn't  catch,  or 
couhl,  practicing  the  use  of  arms  with  a  State  gun  in  his 
hands,  and  the  Union  flag  over  his  head.  He  is  like  a  mad 
bull,  and  "the  stars  and  stripes"  is. the  red  rag  that  sets 
him  a  roaring  and  tearing  up  the  ground." 

Here  Watta,  the  speaker,  slapped  bis  companion's  shoul- 
der, and  both  broke  into  a  loud  laugh. 

"He  has  got  an  idea,"  he  resumed,  "that  all  the  roads 
vvithin  five  miles  of  his  plantation  belong  to  him,  I 
reckon,  by  the  way  he  swears  whenever  he  meets  or  passes 
the  Company.     I    tell  the  boys  to  give  the  flag  an  extra 


'64:  OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

spread  w  ijeuever  he  is  in  sight,  and  we  have  it  out." 

*'It  is  the  flag  of  the  Union  that  you  carry,  and  you  are 
the  Xational  Guards  of  South  Carolina,  too,"  replied  Elly. 

"  Well,  it  is  cutting  to  the  old  rebel  and  slave-hunter  I"  he 
continued.  His  occupation  is  gone,  gone  forever;  and  I 
don't  suppose  he  or  his  trained  blood-hounds  take  kindly 
to  such  cheap  game  as  possoms.  There  is  a  mighty  sight 
of  brag  and  bluster  about  these  southern  whites,  though 
they'll  dodge  quick  enough  at  sight  of  a  United  States 
musket  with  a  Yankee  behind  it.  They  hav'n't  forgotten 
their  whipping  }et." 

"  Yes,  but  they'll  dodge  back  again  just  as  quick,  when 
the  musket  and  Yankee  soldier  are  withdrawn,  and  they 
are  fast  forgetting  the  past;  and  this  centennial  year  and 
celebration  are  unwelcome  reminders  of  it  which  they 
would  like  to  resent." 

"Well,  yes,  I  reckon  so.  You  see  the  mention  of  the 
rebellion  as  one  of  the  hard  strains  which  the  Union  has 
Burvi\  ed  cannot  well  be  avoided,  and  so  the  ''  red  rag,"  as 
you  call  it,  is  in  their  faces  pretty  often  if  they  take  a 
newspaper,  or  steal  the  reading  of  one.  There  are  only  five 
white  men,  '  gentlemen,' who  call  upon  me  regularly  to 
get  the  reading  of  my  pajjers,  free  of  course,  and  call  me  a 
'niggei-.'  They  don't  take  a  single  paper  themselves,  nor 
buy  one,  nor  say  'thank  ye'  for  mine;  nor  always  think  to 
ask  if  I  have  read  it  myself. 

"Ah,  there  she  comes  I  right  on  time  ;"  and  Elly  clo-^d 
and  pocketed  his  gold  watch,  while  the  train  approached 
the  platform. 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINaS.  35 

"You'll  see,  Jesse?  Please  get  that  name  out  of  him, 
and  I'll  put  the  rascal  through  for  threats  ;  though  I'm  not 
afraid  of  him.  Good  day,"  and  with  the  grace  of  a  courtier 
he  waved  adieu  to  his  friend,  as  the  train  moved  away. 

He  was  soon  comfortably  seated,  and  gazing  out  at  the  win- 
dow. He  was  very  well  dressed,  in  strong  contrast  with  a 
large  majority  of  his  race  in  the  southern  States.  His  tall 
shining  hat  lay  beside  him  upon  the  crimson  plush  cushion  of 
the  seat,  leaving  his  crisp  and  glossy  frizzed  hair  the  only 
covering  of  his  shapely  head. 

Among  the  occupants  of  the  car  were  many  «  northern- 
ers "  returning  from  winter  residences  in  Florida. 

"  We  talk  of  the  receding  foreheads  and  projecting  jaws 
of  the  African,-'  said  a  lady  sitting  opposite,  in  a  subdued 
tone  to  her  masculine  companion,  "but  just  imagine  those 
two  men  with  hair  and  complexions  exchanged,"  indicating 
Elly  and  a  man  in  the  seat  immediately  in  front  of  him, 
who  was  in  a  double  sense,  a  fair  specimen  of  southern 
"poor  white  trash." 

"  'Now,  deil-ma-care  about  their  jaws. 
The  senseless,  gawky  million,' 
"  As  Bums  says, 

'  I'll  cock  my  nose  aboon  them  a',' 
"For  I'm  bound  for  dear  :N'ew  England,  away  from 
this  land  of  rags  and  dirt,  slatterly  ways,  lazy  hab- 
its, flowing  whiskey  and  tobacco,  narrow  brows  and 
wide  mouths,  and  people  of  all  'imaginable  shades, 
from     ebony    to     cream-color     or    white,"    replied    the 


36       OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOIXGS. 

gentleman.  "If  you  like  to  continue  studying  and  com- 
paring these  faces,  do  so;  but  don't  suggest  it  to  me,  for 
I  long  to  be  'v\-here  the  very  air  is  not  darkened  with — 
"nigger,  nirjger^''  and  my  ears  shall  rest  from  the  sound  of 
their  uncouth  voices." 

Their  voices  are  expressive.  You  should  call  out  the 
smooth  tones.-' 

"But  I  can't  always.  I'm  sure  I  can't  forget  the  night 
of  our  arrival  at  Jacksonville,"  he  continued,  "Thirty, 
were  n't  there ^/F/l'y  black  men  standing  near  that  train,  all 
harMng  their  loudest  for  passengers?  Yes,  you  may  re- 
prove me,  I  know  these  don't  sound  like  the  w^ords  of  an 
abolitionist.  But  I  am  one,  I  insist;  but  if  upon  oath 
describing  that  sound  that  greeted  our  arrival  in  that  city, 
I  must  say  the  voices  of  thirty  yelping  curs;'  and  to 
pass  through  among  them,  with  their  grabbing  for  one's 
baggage,  and  those  frightful  sounds  in  one's  ears,  and  the 
knowledge  of  the  unsettled  state  of  the  country — the  an- 
tagonism between  the  races — I'd  as  lief — well,  I  don't 
know  what  I  wouldn't  choose!" 

^'Yes,  butif,  when  that  big-mouthed,  two-fisted  fellow 
grabbed  your  satchel,  you,  instead  of  striking  him  with 
your  cane  and  umbrella,  had  looked  kindly  into  his  great- 
rolling  eyes,  and  mildly  said  you  preferred  to  walk  and 
carry  it  yourself,  '  I  think  he  would  have  dropped  it  as 
qnickly,  and  more  quietly,  and  been  more  likely  to  remem" 
ber  you  kindly.  I  remember  quite  similar  scenes  in  the 
North,  with  Irish  hackraen.     But  we  have  out-grown  them; 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOIXGS.       37 

and  so  will  the  South,  and  the  negroes  out-grow  these 
scenes;  and  for  me,  the  more  I  see  these  colored  faces,  the 
more  that  is  intelligent  and  agreeable  I  sec  in  tliem." 

Eily's  face  had  been  singularly  bright  and  cheerful  before 
over-hearing  this  colloquy;  but  then  a  change  came,  and 
presently  he  leaned  out  of  the  window,  gazing  at  a  large 
dilapidated  mansion  (it  could  not  worthily  be  called  a  ruin,) 
which  stood  some  rods  from  the  railroad." 

Many  a  day  he  had  played  about  the  door  of  a  poor  little 
cabin  in  its  rear,  or  ran  at  the  bidding  of  his  young  mistress 
as  she  walked  in  a  small  grove  the  train  was  just  then  enter- 
ing; or  had  held  the  bridles  for  the  gentlemen  mounting  at 
the  door  of  "the  great  house,"  watching  well  their  move- 
ments, least,  as  is  the  habit  of  some  men  to  cut  their  dogs 
with  their  whips  and  laugh  at  their  yelps  and  leaps,  they 
should  thus  enjoy  an  exhibition  of  his  agility. 

Under  that  great  tree,  in  the  edge  of  yonder  corn-field, 
his  mother  writhed  under  the  lash,  for  complaining  that 
her  task  was  too  heavy;  and  obliged  to  witness  the  rising 
of  the  great  welts  upon  her  naked  back,  his  father  had 
snatched  the  instrument  of  torture  from  the  hand  that 
wielded  it,  and  on  an  attempt  being  made  to  dispossess  him 
of  it,  had  dealt  the  overseer  a  smart  blow  across  the  back 
of  his  hand. 

Then  had  followed  a  gathering  of  '"the  hands"  from 
that  and  neighboring  plantations,  to  witness  the  "  main- 
tenance of  discipline,"  and  Eily's  father — a  valuable  speci- 
men of  plantation  stock — was  made,  under  the  cat  o'  nine 
tails,  a  physical  wreck. 


38  OTHER  FOOLS  AXD  THEIR  DOINGS. 

Beside  that  old  decaying  cotton-house,  now  scarcely  visi- 
ble, his  oldest  sister  was  once  hung  up  by  her  hands  and 
severely  whipped,  because  she  preferred  field  labor  by  the 
side  of  the  father  of  her  child,  who  was  called  her  husband, 
to  what  was  called  an  easier  life — in  "  the  bisr house"  after 
Missus  got  sick,  and  vras  agwoine'  to  die." 

Next,  the  train  rattled  over  a  long  stretch  of  spiling 
though  a  cane-brake,  where  were  familiar  trees,  under 
which  Elly  had  paused  for  breath,  and  standing  upon  their 
knotted  roots,  listened  to  the  baying  of  pursuing  blood- 
hounds; and  so  vivid  Avas  his  recollection  of  this,  his  first 
attempt  to  escape  from  slavery,  that  the  sick,  cringing, 
tremblinoj  feelino^  returned  as   he  observed   the  bent  canes 

O  CD 

leaning  away  from  the  half-submerged  ties  of  the  railroad 
track;  an  involuntarily  moving  of  his  feet  upon  the  car  floor, 
as  if  again  seeking  a  footing  upon  their  bent  stalks,  a  semi- 
consciousness of  present  circumstances  was  restored,through 
which  his  mind  leaped  over  the  terrible  capture  and  chastise- 
ment, and  he  seemed  again  to  hear  the  sounds  of  the 
"Yankee  Camj^,"  and  felt  the  joy  of  his  happy  entrance 
there,  a  "  Contmband  of  war,"  but  a  chattel  slave  no  longer. 

Then  came  a  realization  of  the  inestimable  service  the 
"Yankee  Governess  "  had  rendered  him  when  she  stealthily 
taught  him  to  read,  and  spurred  his  young  master's  lazy 
efforts,  by  contrasting  his  acquirements  with  those  of  the 
listening  slave  boy. 

Through  that  poor  beginning,  made  in  weakness  and 
danger  on  the  part  of  both  pupil  and  teacher,  when  it  was 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND    THEIR    DOINGS.  39 

a  crime,  punishable  by  imprisonment  in  the  State's  Prison, 
he  had  made  his  way  to  positions  of  honor  and  emolu- 
ment. 

What  meekness,  humility  and  honesty  must  not  a  man 
of  such   experiences  possess,  if,  conning  them   over,  pride 
did  not  lift  up  his  heart,  resentment  make  his  arm  restless, 
and   a  sense    of  robbery  long-endured,  make   his   present 
powerful   position    seem   a   providential   opportunity    for 
retaliation  and  self -reimbursement!     From  an  abyss  of  en- 
forced   degradation   and    ignorance   and   despair   he   had 
emerged  into  the  light  and  life  of  personal  and  political 
liberty,  equality,  respectability  and  honor  ;  and  the  young 
master  whose  opportunities  he   once  so  earnestly  coveted, 
and  before  whose  absolute  will  he  was  forced  to  bow,  now 
sued  for  favors  at  his  hands,  and  found  "  none  so  poor  to 
do   him   reverence."     Was   ever   the   nobility   of    human 
nature  put  to  stronger  tests  than  in  these  two  peoples  ? 

"Good  evening,  Mr.  EUy,"  said  a  broad  browed,  florid- 
faced,  red-haired  man  in  the  aisle  beside  him. 

"Good  evening,  Marmor,  good  evening;"  v;as  the  hearty 
response.  "Take  a  seat?"  removing  his  hat  to  make 
room. 

"I  will  gladly  take  the  seat,  if  you  will  just  step  out 
and  let  me  turn  over  the  back  of  this  one  in  front,  so  that 
we  can  have  the  use  of  the  two  sofas,  for  my  feet  are  at 
their  old  tricks  and  troubling  me  a  good  deal.  They  are 
easier  when  I  lay  them  up.  One  might  as  well  personate 
'Young  America  '  in  this  Centennial  year  when  it  makes 
him  more  comfortable." 


40  OTHER  FOOLS  AXD   THEIR  DOIXGS. 

*•' 3Iincl  you  don't  get  them  too  higli  now,"  said  Ellv,  as 
they  seated  themselves  after  tlic  change,  and  he  spread  a 
newspaper  upon  tlic  cushion  Leforc  them,  to  protect  it 
from  JMarmor's  boot-blacking.  "You  might  share  the  mis- 
fortune of  Ike  Partington;  and  if  all  your  brains  gIiouUI 
run  down  into  your  head,  what  would  become  of  "The 
Times?*'  and  Ellv  launched  and  wrisri^led,  in  stranro  and 
silly  contrast  with  his  usually  dignified  manner. 

"  I  don't  furnish  brains  for  The  Times,"  said  3Iarmor, 
"  I  only  publish  it.  But  what  is  the  campaign  going  to 
be,  do  you  think  ?" 

"  Oil,  of  course  we  shall  win." 

Marmor  kept  his  eyes  fixed  upon  his  middle  finger  nail, 
which  ho  was  carefully  cutting,  and  did  not  reply. 

Elly  scrutinized  his  face  awhile,  and  then  asked,  "'  Don't 
you  think  so  ?" 

"  I  am  not  so  positive  as  I  wish  I  was." 

"  You  don't  think  the  colored  voters  of  the  State  are 
going  back  on  the  party  that  gave  them  freedom,  and  the 
only  one  that  will  preserve  it  for  them?  They'll  all  vote 
the  Republican  ticket,  of  course." 

"Yes,  unless  they  are  intimidated." 

"  Now,  Marmor,  I've  seen  a  hint — or  what  I  take  for 
one — in  your  paper;  but  I  hope  you  don't  really  think 
there  will  be  trouble." 

"  I  am  afraid  there  will  be  trouble.  Hanson  Baker  told 
me  the  other  day  that  there  are  fifteen  hundred  men  ready 
and  waiting  to  come  there  and  break  up  the  Militia  Com- 


OTHER  FOOLS  ASD   THEIR  DOINGS.  41 

pany  in  Baconsville,  and  that  they  are  going  to  do  it;  and 
it  is  a  frequent  boast  among  the  men — the  white  South- 
erners, I  mean — that  they  Avill  carry  the  election  if  they 
have  to  do  it  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  They  can't  do 
it  honestly,  that's  shor';  but  I'm  afraid  there  will  be 
trouble." 

A  pause  ensued,  after  which  Marmor  resumed.  "I'm 
almost  tired  of  this  State,  and  if  my  business  could  be 
squared  up  I'd  get  away;  but  I  shan't  be  driven  out.  I 
wish  the  colored  j^eople  had  the  spunk  to  emigrate  to  some 
of  the  idle  western  land.  It  is  a  heap  better  and  richer 
than  this  here,  by  all  accounts;  and  though  it  might  be 
some  colder,  it  would  make  them  stronger  and  smarter,  and 
they'd  be  heaps  better  off  than  they  are  here." 

"There  are  a  great  many  talking  cihout  it,  don't  you 
know — going  by  colonies  ?  It  would  be  a  deal  better  than 
going  to  Africa.  I  shall  go  myself  if  the  old  Confederates 
ever  get  into  power  here  again." 

"See  you  stick  to  that,  Elly;  and,  as  for  me,  I  reckon  I 
shall  have  to  go  by  that  time,  or  before.  I  was  born  in 
South  Carolina,  and  shed  my  blood  in  defense  of  her  (as  I 
thought  then),  at  Fort  Sumter,  got  wounded  there,  and  I 
was  as  good  as  any  of  them  till  I  consented  to  accept  a 
clerical  office  under  a  Republican  administration;  and  then 
the  old  Confederates  persecuted  me  and  my  wife,  till  I 
found  out  how  it  felt  to  others,  and  I  have  seen  under  what 
tyranny  a  man  lives  here.  lie  dares  not  think  for 
himself  at  all.     I  served  under  Hampton  in  the  war,  before 


42  OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

I  got  my  eyes  open.  Like  most  of  the  private  soldiers, 
and  plenty  of  commissioned  officers,  I  was  made  to  believe 
a  lie,  or  I  never  "svould  have  raised  a  hand  against  the  Na- 
tional Government  in  the  world.  I  used  to  say  just  this 
.way:  If  the  No'th  would  only  let  us  manage  our  State  mat- 
ters ourselves,  and  would  let  our  slaves  alone  (you  know  I 
owned  a  few  slaves),  I  didn't  care  if  the  Territories  and 
new  States  were  free.  But  Lincoln,  and  Garrison,  and 
Greeley  shouldn't  come  down  here,  and  take  our  nigger 
property  away  from  us;  they  shouldn't  be  emancipated 
by  the  United  States  Government — the  slaves  shouldn't. 
Enough  others  said  the  same,  and  dozens  of  our  speakers 
said  it  on  the  stump  and  platform,  and  plenty  of  the  great 
leaders  were  right  there — consenting  by  their  silence,  if  not 
saying  the  same  things,  when  they  knew  well  enough  that 
these  were  just  the  principles  of  the  Republican  party — 
the  *  Unionists'  who  elected  Lincoln.  "What  did  tre  care 
for  their  *  sympathy  for  the  slaves,'  or  their  wishes  for  the 
'constitutional  right'  to  liberate  them,  so  long  as  they 
admitted  they  hadn't  got  it,  and  we  knew  they  couldn't 
get  it  short  of  a  two-thirds  indorsement  by  the  States 
through  a  direct  vote  of  the  people?  There  was  slave 
property  enough  in  sixteen  of  the  thirty-four  States  to 
make  us  pretty  sure  on  that  score,  in  addition  to  the  inter- 
ests of  cotton  manufacturers  and  sugar  dealers  in  the  Xo'th 
who  wanted  our  products  and  no  interruption  of  business. 
Then  we  had  the  Fugitive  Slave  Law  for  the  return  of  our 
runaways." 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  43 

"  But  you  know  the  Republican  idea  was  that  the  new 
States  coming  in,  being  all  free,  they  could  at  last  secure 
the  constitutional  two-thirds." 

"Yes,   at   last,''   said   Marraor,  derisively,    ''at  the  last 
great  day,  while  slave-owners  had  each  a  vote  for  three  out 
of  every  five  of  his  slaves  without  asking  their  assent.  But 
our  hot-headed  course  hastened  emancipation  about  a  hun- 
dred years;  and  now  that  it  is  over  I'm  glad  of  it,  though 
it  did  cost  an  ocean  of  blood  and  treasure.    Slavery  cursed 
the  whites  as  well  as  the  blacks,  and  ought  to.     When  I 
think  of  all  I  saw  in  that  war — I  got  this  difiiculty  in  my 
feet  there  (moving  them  with  a  grimace),  and  of  the  hor- 
rible sufferings  it  brought  on  our  people,  and  how  those 
leading  villains  knew  all  the  time  that  they  were  deceiving 
us,  I  can't   think  what  would'nt  be  too  good  for  them  \ 
And  when  that  war  was  over,  and  the  Ko'th  had  us  in  her 
hand  as  helpless  as  a  trapped  mouse,  she  not  only  spared 
their  lives,  but  gave  everything  back  to  them  which  they 
had  forfeited;  and  now  you  hear  them  go  on  about  the 
National  Government  and  the  northern  people,  especially 
any  that  come  and  settle  among  us  and  try  to  develop  the 
resources  of  the  State,  in  a  way  that  is  simply  outrageous  ! 
You  would  think  the  South  was  the  magnanimous^a^ro^  of 
the  stiff-necked  and  rebellious  No'th.     I  verily  believe  the 
South  would  have  liked  the  No'th  better  if  it  had  put  its 
foot  upon  her  after  she  fell.     Conquer  your  rebellious  child 
or  yield  to  his  dictation  without  demur. 

"  There  are  some  who  know  no   such  thing  as  equality. 


44        OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS. 

Somebody  must  be  the  '  Boss,'  in  their  practice." 

*'  But  republican  principles  would  not  allow  the  govern- 
ment to  hold  these  States  as  provinces,"  remarked  lawyer 
Elly. 

"  They  should  have  been  held  as  territories,"  said  Mar- 
mor,  "  consistently  or  not.  My  blood  is  German  (my  father 
emigrated  from  Germany  to  Charleston  when  a  small  boy), 
but  it  has  got  the  South  Car'lina  heat  in  it.  I'm  for  effi- 
ciency.'^ 

"Kineteen-twentieths  of  what  they  call  carpet-baggers, 
and  make  folks  believe  are  just  adventurers,  are  northern 
men,  capitalists  generally,  who  in  emigrating  did  not  leave 
their  manhood  behind.  It  matters  not  how  heavy  taxes 
they  may  j^ay,  nor  how  long  they  remain  in  the  State;  if 
they  vote  the  Republican  ticket  and  maintain  the  princi- 
ples and  practice  of  equal  justice  for  all  men  in  the  State, 
they  are  'carpet-baggers;'  and  if  they  vote  Democratic, 
according  to  the  will  of  the  confederate  whites,  though 
they  vote  *  early  and  often,'  and  at  points  far  removed 
from  each  other,  they  escape  the  opprobious  epithet." 


OTHER  FOOLS  A^'D   THEIR  DOIXGS  45 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE    GLORIOUS    FOUETH. 

"Plumes  himself  in  Freedom's  pride 
Tyrant  stern  to  all  beside." 

— BUKNS. 

On  fill  insignificant  little  village  built  on  a  narrow  flat 
beside  tlio  Savannah  river,  tbe  sun  had  been  pouring  his 
red  hot  rays  all  day,  with  even  greater  intensity  than  was 
usual  at  tiiat  season  of  the  year. 

The  inhabitants,  however,  paid  little  heed  to  the  extreme 
heat,  and  only  when  the  sun  sank  to  the  western  horizon 
did  they  leave  their  fields  and  workshops  and  wend  their 
ways  homewards. 

Two  railroad  bridges,  and  another  for  the  public  high- 
way, connected  this  little  village  with  the  city  of  A , 

on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and  in  the  neighboring 
State  of  Georgia. 

A  long  lov^'  trestle  carried  one  of  those  railroad  tracks 
two  or  three  squares  or  streets  back  from  the  stream  to- 
wards the  hills  a  half-mile  away. 

Not  far  from  this  trestle,  on  a  broad  street  which  ran 
parallel  with  and  along  the  brink  of  the  stream,  stood  a 
strong,  tv/o-story  brick  building.  Its  uses  had  been 
various;  but  at  the  time  of  which  we  write  it  did 
service  as  an  armory  or  drill  room  for  Co.  A  of 
the  Eighteenth   Regiment    of  National    Guards    of  vSouth. 


46  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOIXGS. 

Carolina;  and  also  as  a  dwelling  for  the  Captain  of 
the  Company,  who,  having  just  returned  from  his  day's 
work  in  the  city,  now  sat  with  his  chair  tilted  back  against 
the  post  of  the  open  door,  tossing  his  infant  and  conversing 
with  his  wife,  who  was  preparing  their  evening  meal. 

It  might  be  mentioned  that  the  parties  in  this  littlf 
domestic  scene  were  of  African  descent. 

"Howdy  ?  Cap'n  Doc,  Howdy?"  shouted  a  negro  team- 
ster, driving  up  to  the  door  with  a  great  dash  and  rattling 
of  wheels. 

"  Hello  !  That  yo',  Dan  ?'  replied  the  Captain,  letting 
the  front  legs  of  his  chair  down  upon  the  floor  with  a  bump 
that  came  near  unseating  him.     *'  Come  in,  won't  ye  ?" 

I'm  obliged  to  yo',  but  I  couldn't  nohow.  I  just  wants, 
to  know  what  sort  of  a  combustification  is  we  gwoine  to 
hev  to-morrow;    and  Avhen  does  de  militia  come  out?'' 

The  speaker  was  evidently  "the  worse  for  the  drink," 
which  must  account  for  his  forgetf ulmess  of  what  he  had 
been  well  informed  of,  and  he  wriggled  and  giggled  as  if 
greatly  tickled. 

"The  militia,"  said  Captain  Doc,  "has  got  to  faun> 
(form)  and  march  down  to  the  grounds,  when  the  doings 
begin,  and  stand  guard;  and  after  the  speeches  and  all  is 
ovah,  vre  shall  go  through  the  usual  everlutions,  accompa- 
nied with  music  and  the  flag.  I'm  sorry  we  didn't  get  that 
shooting-match  I  tried  to  have,  so  we  could  ha'  got  some  uni- 
faum;  but  I  shall  inspeck  yo's  guns  and  accouterments 
mighty  close,  and  put  yo'  through  mighty  sharp  on  the 
drill." 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS.  47 

"But  a  nigger  that  don't  car'  'nough  'bout  the  Centennial 
fo'th  o'  July  to  get  to  know  all  'bout  the  doings  fo'  the 
third  o'  July,  don't  'zerve  to  be  baun  free  and  ekil." 

"Wal,  I  wa'n't  baun  free  an'  ekil,  an'  I  don't  'speck  to 
be  baun  free  an'  ekil,  nuther,  but  'fo'  I  done  gone  ovah  to 
'Gusta  wid  dis  ere  load  o'  truck,  I  knowed  all  'bout  it.  But 
I  met  dat  are  magnijishent  young  gem'raan,  Tom  Bakah, 
and,  oh,  laws!"  (spreading  his  horny  palms,  with  fingers 
extended  and  rolling  his  head  and  eyes  from  side  to  side), 
"'moseput  my  eyes  out  o' ray  head!  All  upsot  my  idees! 
His  nose  turned  up,  'pears  like  six  feet  high;  no,  six  inches 
high;  and  he  drove  he  horse  so  scrumbunctious  like, 'mose 
upset  my  little  arabulancer,"  and  Dan  t^^rned  to  his  two 
little  rats  of  donkeys  in  harness  of  knotted  raw-hides, 
which  resembled  old  and  assorted  clothes  lines. 

The  little  creatures  stood  meekly  before  an  indescribable 
vehicle,  a  ridiculous  cross  between  a  rude  hay-rick  and  a 
huge  crockery-crate  on  wheels.  It  was  all  out  of  propor- 
tion to  the  little  team,  whose  backs  were  scarcely  as  high 
as  the  waist-bands  of  stumpy  Dan. 

"  Tough  little  fellahs,  dese  is,"  said  the  teamster,  patting 
them  affectionately,  "  but  mighty  feared  o'  Mars'  Tom,  a'n't 
yo',— Eigh,  Jack?" 

"  See  dat  nigh  critter  cock  his  eye  now,  aud  wag  dat  off 
ear,"  continued  Dan,  winking  at  Captain  Doc,  and  gigling 
and  wriiro^linor  as  before. 

"Don't  like  Mars'  Tom,  do  yo'.  Jack?"  again  addressing 
the  intelligent  donkey,  which  not  only  wagged  his  off  ear, 


48  OTHER  FOOLS   AXD   THEIR  DOINGS. 

but  shook  liis  head  in  a  most  decided  manner,  to  the  great 
amusement  of  his  owner. 

"  Oh,  Dan,  3-011  musn't  mind  the  antics  of  that  boy  Tom," 
said  a  voice  behind  liim;  "whereupon  Dan  vrrigglcd  and 
jumped,  and  v.'hirled  about,  and  bowed  himself  double,  and 
made  cri'iniaces,  and  G:i2:2:led  and  wrii^c^led,  and  danced  a 
jig;  and  finally,  with  another  low  bow  and  long  scrape  of 
his  right  foot,  he  shook  hands  with  the  speaker,  M'ho  was 
no  other  than  our  friend  Marmor.  ''  Tom  is  only  just  home 
from  school,  you  know,  and  of  course  the  man  who  knew 
more  before  he  was  born  than  could  ever  be  cudgeled  into 
that  knowledge-box  of  hissen,  is  nothhig  to  him!  Let  him 
alone,  and  let  him  swell  though,  just  as  big  as  he  can,  he'll 
bust  the  quicker,  and  we'll  find  out  the  quicker  how  big  he 
really  is  when  the  vaccuum  is  gone,  and  what  is  left  is 
packed  down  solid." 

"'Pears  like  dis  yere  young  Tom  cat  tinks  he  smell  a 
mice,  or  a  niggah  he's  huntin,"  said  Dan,  "an'  he's  gwoine 
fo'  to  chaw  \m  iq?  mighty  quick  I"  (suiting  his  gesture  to 
his  words  by  a  long  sniff,  ai^d  a  quick  motion  of  his  jaws.) 

Dan's  buffonery  was  irresistible,  and  the  half  dozen  per- 
sons who  had  gathered  at  the  captain's  door  manifested  their 
appreciation  by  hilarious  applause. 

"'Pears  like  I  couldn't  leave  such  'stinguished  comp'ny, 
nohow,"  he  continued,  "  but  dey  is  a  j^anoramia  f  o'  my  vish- 
nm  which  am  decomratedby  hoe  cakes  an*  hominy,  an'  lasses 
an'  bacon,  an'  sich  tings;"  and  with  his  hands  upon  his 
empty   stomach,  Dan  bowed   very  low   and   obsequiously, 


OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOIXGS.  49 

and  mounting  his  *'ambulancer,"  gathered  up  the  ragged 
ends  of  his  raw-hide  ribbons,  touched  Jack  with  his  long 
green  stick,  and  rattled  away,  while  Captain  Doc  shouted 
after  him,  "Two  o'clock,  and  no  tipsy  men  on  parade." 

The  queer  little  turnout,  which  would  have  been  a  spec- 
tacle in  any  part  of  the  northern  states,  though  common 
enough  in  the  southern,  crept  slowly  up  the  steep  hill  in 
the  rear  of  the  village,  where  buildings  of  curious  and 
indescribable  styles  were  scattered  without  order  or  taste, 
and  few  indications  of  thrift.  Stopping  on  the  outskirts 
of  the  town,  and  before  a  small  cabin  built  of  one  thick- 
ness of  rough  boards,  the  vertical  cracks  between  v/hich 
would  nearly  receive  the  fingers  of  an  adult,  and  the  win- 
dows of  which,  without  sash  or  glazing,  were  closed  only 
by  clumsy  wooden  shutters — the  usual  style  of  cabin  in- 
habited by  the  southern  negro — Dan  leaped  from  his 
vehicle,  and  entering,  sniffed  and  looked  about  searchingly, 
till  a  tall,  angular  mulatto  woman  entered  from  the  back 
door  with  an  armful  of  wood. 

"  Any  suppah  yet,  Mira  ?" 

"  Xo,  sah.  Yo'  suppah  ha'n't  ready  yit,  but  I's  cookin'  it. 
I's  mighty  tired.  I's  done  done  all  dat  whole  big  cotton 
field." 

'•'  Good,  chile  !  good,  chile  !  "  said  the  husband,  approach- 
ing and  attempting  to  kiss  her  as  she  stooped  to  replenish 
the  open  fire. 

No  sooner  had  his  breath  touched  her  face  than  she 
turned,  with  a  stick  of  wood  in  one  hand,  and  confronted 


50  OTHER  FOOLS  A^^)  THEIR  DOINGS. 

him,  while  the  smoke  and  flame  leaped  out  in  alarming 
proximity  to  her  dress. 

"  See  here  now,  yo'  Dan  ;  yo'  been  drinkin'  gin,"  fixing 
her  dark  eyes  reprovingly  upon  his  silly  face.  "  Dat's  de 
way  yo'  been  spendin'  yo'  money." 

"  Mira  Pipsie,  yo's  de  smartest  woman  in  de  whole  worP. 
Yo's  got  'em  zackly,  I  reckon  "  (wriggling  and  curveting 
about  the  room  and  back  to  her  side  again).  "  I  nebber 
boughtened  me  no  finery  o'  no  kind  ;  no  new  bonnet,  nor 
nuffin.     Yo'  buys  what  yo'  wants,  an'  so  does  I." 

"Yes;  but  yo'  comes  home  an'  wants  suppah,  an'  it's.de 
cotton  o'  my  raisin'  as  buys  yo'  suppah." 

"Yah!  yah!  yah!  I's  a  lucky  dog,  shor!  "  and  he  exe- 
cuted a  jig  followed  by  a  double  shufiie,  knocking  his  heels 
upon  the  bare  floor  with  what  vigor  he  could  command, 
and  at  the  same  time  improvising  as  follows  : 

"  I 's  de  smartest  little  wife 
Ebber  seen  in  all  yo'  life; 
She  marks  her  cotton-bag 
Wid  a  little  calico  rag, 
An'  gits  de  biggis'  price, 
An'  as  slick  as  any  mice 
She  smiles,  an'  bows,  an'  flies  aroun'. 
An'  totes  her  cotton  off  to  town. 
Home  she  comes,  an'  O  my! 
See  de  new  bonnet!     Oh,  my  eye! 
Away  to  church  she  sing  an*  pray. 
Hallelujah!  look  dis  way! 
Dina  Duncan's  in  de  shade, 


OTHER  FOOLS   AMD    THEIR    DOINGS.  51 

Mira  beats  all  on  dress  parade. 

But  jes'  see  Dina's  bran  new  shawl! 

Can't  heah  no  mo'  preacliin'  af 'cr  all. 

Elder,  I'm  gone  nex'  Sunday  sho'. 

Can't  wear  dis  liere  ole  shawl  o'  mine  no  mo' ! " 

Here  the  song  abruptly  terminated,  for  the  "  smartest  lit- 
tle wife,"  who  was  some  inches  taller  than  her  husband,  and 
by  no  means  slender,  took  her  liege  lord  by  the  damp,  un- 
starched collar  of  his  soiled  blue  shirt,  and  marching  him 
to  the  door,  seated  him  uj^on  the  step,  saying  in  a  low,  de- 
cided, and  well  recognized  tone,  "Xow  yo'  jes'  set  dar,  yo' 
drunk  niggah,  yo',  an'  don't  yo'  open  dat  big  red  mouf  o' 
yo'n  no  mo'  till  I  git  some  hominy  to  fill  it  up.  I  don't 
want  no  niggah's  heels  scratchin'  roun'  on  my  flo'.  Ef 
yo'd  buy  b'ettah  finery  'n  dem  ole  trowsahs,  an'  go  to 
church,  an'  let  whiskey  'lone,  yo'  cotton'd  be  some  good. 
Ef  I  didn't  mark  my  cotton  o'  my  raisin',  an'  toat  de 
money  m3^self,  I'd  jes  like  t'  know  whar  yo'd  git  yo'  tea, 
an'  coffee,  an'  flou'h,  an'  all  dem  tings  ?" 

'With  an  admonitory  shake  of  her  finger,  she  entered  the 
house,  and  resumed  her  culinary  operations  ;  but  soon 
reappeared,  bearing  a  gun  and  accoutrements,  and  sundry 
materials  for  polishing  them  ;  having  first  dexterously 
examined  it,  and  found  it  without  charge. 

"Heah  now,  yo'  Pipsie;  yo'  got  sense  'nough  t'  clean  dis 
'ere  gun  ?  "  she  asked.  *'  Reckon  you'll  be  mighty  proud 
o'  dis  'ere  *  finery,'  marchin'  up  an'  down  long  o'  de  res', 
an'  de  folks  all  lookin'  on." 


o2  OTHER   FOOLS   AND  THEIR  DOINGS. 

"  He,  he  I  Didn't  I  say  '  smartest  little  wife  "  ?  Reckon 
I  kin  do  dat  are.  Reckon  I'll  parade  on  de  fo'tb,  an'  yo'U 
wait  till  Sunday." 

Two  of  his  neighbors  presently  joined  Mr.  Pipsie,  with 
whom  he  was  soon  discussing  the  anticipated  celebration, 
which  was  quite  a  novelty  in  the  locality.  Suddenly  a  loud 
sound  of  wheels  was  heard. 

"Hello!"  cried  Dan,  springing  from  his  seat.  "Heah 
comes  my  friend  Bakah!  Hello,  Babe!  Bett'  take  car,  dat 
team,  else  yo'  git  toated  clean  off,  an  gone  to  smash  'fo' 
yo  muddah  knows  nuffin  'bout  it.  Reckon  yo'  didn't  ax 
her  mout  yo'  gwout  alone?" 

The  sound  of  the  jolting  wagon  rendered  this  speech  in- 
audible to  the  youthful  driver,  who  was  passing  without  a 
"  Howdy!"  (an  offense  in  that  locality)  but  the  loud,  deri- 
sive "guffaw"  of  the  three  colored  men,  which  followed 
Dan's  sally,  did  not  fail  to  reacli  him,  and  he  paused  sud- 
denly, just  i^ast  the  door. 

He  was  tall  and  Inrge,  but  unusually  boyish  for  a  youth 
of  twenty  years.     In  an  angry  tone  he  shouted: 

"  Dan  Pipsie,  come  out  here!     I  want  to  see  yer,'* 

That  individual  made  his  way,  quite  deliberately,  to  the 
side  of  the  vehicle,  and  with  a  strange  mixture  of  timidity 
and  bravado  in  his  manner. 

"AVhat  do  you  mean  by  cursing  me  in  that  way?  I 
ha'n't  done  nothing  to  you,"  said  the  boy. 

"Oh,  laws!  I 's  JGst  in  fun,  an'  I  's  shor'  yo'  didn't  heah 
yo'r  name  mixin'  up  in  it.     A  man's  a  right  to  talk  or  cuss 


OTHER   FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  53 

on  his  own  do  V'  (uoor)  "  an'  nothin'  to  no  man  no'  his  boy 
gwoine  'long  de  road." 

The  3'oungstci's  eyes  flashed,  and  his  face  \ras  pale  with 
rage.  What!  he  to  be  called  a  ^>o?/ by  a  "nigger?"  He 
looked  down  upon  the  diminutive  black  figure  beside  him, 
in  whose  hands  was  one  of  Remington's  best  rifles,  and  that 
alone  restrained  him  from  laying  the  long  lash  of  his 
driving-whip  close  about  the  "  black  biped,"  as  he  mentally 
called  him.     He  did  venture  to  retort  with  some  asperity. 

The  altercation  was  brief,  but  heated,  and  soon  the  whip 
was  cracked  decidedly  closer  to  Pipsie's  left  ear  than  was 
comfortable  to  its  owner. 

"  Yo'  jes  be  little  mo'  ca'ful,  yo'  young  man!"  said  Pip- 
sie,  rubbing  the  ear  briskly.  "  Yo'  not  got  no  runaway 
niggah  slave  heah  now.  I'se  a  free  man,  an'  got  as  much 
rights  as  yo',  an'  mo'n  dat,  too,  Pse  got  a  United  States 
gun  heah,  an'  I  knows  how  to  shoot,  too.  Yo'  needn't 
'suit  no  National  Guards  fo'  nuffin'.  Ef  yo'  ha'n't  get  no 
mo'  yo' want  say  t'  me,  yo'.bes'  jes'  git  'long  'bout  yo' 
business,  or  yo'  may  git  hurt!"  and  he  made  a  feint  to  raise 
the  empty  gun  to  his  eye,  when  young  Tom  Baker  rode 
away  in  great  haste. 

Baconsville  Iiad  never  witnessed  such  a  "  celebration  "  as 
it  enjoyed  the  nest  day,  which  came  bright  and  beautiful. 

Though  usually  tardy  in  morning  rising — possibly  from 
dread  of  the  malaria,  which  tlic  sun  dissipates  by  nine 
o'clock,  on  this  memorable  day,  the  inhabitants  of  the  vil- 
lage  were  astir  at  an  early  hour,  for,  through  the  heavy  fog 


54:  OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS. 

'.^ 
whicli  crept  up  from  the  river,  and  shrouded  tlie  whole  val- 
le}^,  the  red-haired  and  fair-skinned  Marmor,  and  the  largest, 
strongest,  and  blackest  citizen,  with  a  few  followers,  were 
dimly  visible,  dragging  a  blacksmith's  anvil  along  the 
principal  streets. 

They  paused  frequently  in  front  of  the  residences  and 
shops  of  the  chief  citizens  to  salute  them  by  an  explosion 
of  gunpowder  upon  the  anvil — the  nearest  approach  to  a  can- 
nonnade  possible  in  the  impecuneous  little  city.  But  not 
earlier  than  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  was  the  excite- 
ment at  its  height.  At  that  time  the  brass  band  was  play- 
ing national  airs  under  a  great  oak  tree  on  a  vacant  plot 
of  ground  on  which  a  platform,  had  been  erected;  and  a 
few  seats  placed  in  front  of  it  for  the  accomm.odation  of 
the  gentler  sex  were  rapidly  filling;  for,  at  a  safe  distance, 
thirteen  explosions  upon  the  anvil,  in  commemoration  of 
the  thirteen  original  colonies,  were  being  followed  by 
thirty-seven,  in  honor  of  the  then  existing  States  of  the 
Union. 

These  were  the  recognized  signals  for  the  commencement 
of  the  most  important  exercises  of  the  day;  and  the  militia 
having  formed  at  the  armory,  marched  to  the  rostrum, 
bearing  the  "  Stars  and  Stripes,"  and  were  disposed  on 
either  side  of  the  speaker's  stand,  while  other  free  and 
patriotic  citizens  stood  in  compact  groups  near  and  about 
the  well-filled  seats. 

All  being  ready,  a  chairman  elected,  the  glass  of  water 
and  bouquet  of  flowers  placed  before  the  speaker,  and  the 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR   DOIXGS.  55 

band  having  duly  discoursed,  a  short,  smootli-voiced  negro 
— an  accredited  preacher  of  the  Methodist  persuasion,  and 
member  of  the  State  Legislature  from  that  district — was 
introduced.  He  made  a  long,  peculiarly  energetic,  inter- 
esting and  instructive  address,  rich  in  metaphor  and  quaint 
expressions,  glowing  with  native  eloquence,  and  abounding 
in  graphic  description,  wholesome  counsel,  and  eulogy  of  the 
"United  States." 

Kot  an  allusion  was  made  to  the  past  relations  of  the 
races  in  the  South,  unless  an  exhortation  to  gratitude  to- 
wards the  United  States  be  so  construed,  in  view  of  the 
fact  that  the  very  few  whites  present  acknowledged  no 
such  debt. 

After  the  address,  music  followed,  and  then  Marmor  was 
formally  introduced  to  his  neighbors,  and  read  in  clear,  loud 
tones  the  inevitable  "  Preamble  and  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence," to  the  manifest  disgust  of  a  small  group  of 
men  who  stood  in  the  rear  of  the  crowd. 

A  tall,  muscular  man,  with  iron-gray  hair  and  bushy 
beard,  turned  upon  his  heel  with  an  oath,  saying:  "Mar- 
mor, the  contemptible  radical,  takes  too  much  pleasure  in 
reading  that  preamble  to  me,  and  I'm  a  fool  to  hear  it  any 
way.  All  men  created  equal!  It  is  a  self-evident  lie  I"  and 
he  strode  away,  followed  by  the  boyish  young  man,  Tom, 
to  whom  the  reader  has  already  been  introduced. 

"Father,"  said  he,  "that  red-headed  fool  acts  like  a 
Yankee.  You  wouldn't  suppose  he  fought  for  the  Lost 
Cause." 


56  OTHER  FOOLS   AXD   THEIR  DOINGS. 

"  It  is  the  cursed  German  blood  in  him!"  replied"  the  old 
man  Baker,"  as  his  neighbors  called  him.  '*  He  hasn't  been 
in  the  State  long  enough  to  get  the  Republican  taint  out  of 
it.     His  father  wasn't  born  here." 

"It  is  a  pity  that  a  Yankee  bullet  hadn't  hit  him,  instead 
of  brother  Will."  He's  a  scalawag  and  a  carpet-bagger, 
both  in  one." 

"  Yes,  I'd  like  to  rid  the  State  of  his  presence,  and  the 
niggers  of  one  leader.  If  it  wasn't  for  the  leaders,  we 
could  manasre  the  icrnorant  ones." 

The  exercises  at  "'  the  stand"  closed  at  five  o'clock,  and 
the  Militia  soon  formed,  thirty  or  forty.strong,  and  marched 
off  up  Market  street;  wliicli  being  over  one  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  in  vv'iuth,  afforded  ample  space  for  the  evolutions 
which  the  men  performed  w'ith  commendable  precision  for 
nearly  an  hour. 

At  length  they  stood  resting  at  the  upper  end  of  the 
street. 

"Have  you  noticed  the  clouds,  Captain?"  asked  the  tall 
second-lieutenant,  approaching  his  superior  wdth  raised  cap, 
"  That's  so,  Watta,"  replied  Captain  Doc,  glancing  at  the 
clouds,  "  We'll  march  down  to  the  armor\^  and  dismiss.  At- 
tention, Company." 

The  necessary  orders  being  given,  they  j^roceeded  by 
fours,  interval  march,  open  order,  with  guns  across  their 
shoulders,  and  arms  over  their  guns;  thus  occupying  little 
over  one  third  of  the  width  of  the  street. 

Soon  after  they  had  thus  started,  a  single  buggy  occupied 


OTHER  FOOLS   AXD   THEIR  DOINGS.  57 

by  two  youiif^  men,  turned  from  Main  street  into  Market 
street,  entering  it  two  or  three  streets  in  front  of  them 
and  approached  the  advancing  Militiamen  at  a  slow  trot. 
The  horse  was  old  and  steady,  and  neither  the  irlitterins: 
guns,  nor  flag,  nor  fife  and  drum  disturbed  his  equanimity; 
and,  urged  by  his  driver,  he  did  not  pause  nor  turn  aside 
till  in  the  very  face  of  the  soldiers,  who  had  already 
halted. 

The  road  was  broad  and  level,  but  the  travel  had  been 
confined  mostly  to  one  track,  and  the  remainder  of  the  sur- 
face was  overgrown  with  grass  and  May  weeds. 

Just  at  the  place  of  their  meeting,  a  well  occui^ied  a  few 
feet  in  the  centre  of  the  street;  and  a  shallow  ditch  crossed 
the  half  of  the  street  at  the  right  of  the  vehicle.  Yet 
fully  fifteen  feet  of  the  level  highway  was  unoccupied  at 
the  right  of  the  Militia,  and  the  driver  could  easily  have 
passed  around  the  Company,  had  he  chosen  to  do  so,  in- 
stead of  urging  his  horse  directly  upon  the  advancing  col- 
umn. 

The  discourtesy  of  this  act  was  aggravated  by  the  fact 
that  the  young  men  had,  during  a  half-hour  previously, 
been  driving  leisurely  from  one  bar-room  to  another,or  sitting 
in  their  carriage  and  watching  the  movements  of  the  Com- 
pany in  common  with  a  large  number  of  other  citizens, 
both  white  and  colored,  during  which  time  frequent  oppor- 
tunities had  occurred  in  which  they  might  have  driven  up 
the  then  totally  unoccupied  street. 

These  young  men  were  Tom    Baker  and  his  sister's  hus- 


58  OTHER   FOOLS   AXD   THEIR  DOIXGS. 

band,  Harry  Gaston,  who,  like  Lis  father-in-law,  had  often 
expressed  his  aversion  to  "  the  Xigger  Militia  Company." 

Captain  Doc  left  his  position,  and  approaching  them  said: 

*OIr.  Gaston,  I  do  not  know  for  what  reason  you  treat 
me  in  this  manner." 

"  AVhat  manner?" 

"  Aiming  to  drive  through  my  company  when  you  have 
room  enough  on  the  outside  to  drive  in  the  road/" 

*'  Well,"  this  is  the  rut  I  always  travel  in,"  was  the  con- 
temptuous reply,  made  with  an  oath. 

"  That  may  be  true,"  replied  the  Captain,  but  if  ever  you 
had  a  company  out  here,  I  should  not  have  treated  3-ou  in 
this  kind  of  a  manner.  I  should  have  gone  around,  and 
showed  some  respect  to  you." 

'*  "Well,  retorted  Gaston,  "this  is  the  rut  I  always  travel 
in,  and  I  don't  intend  to  get  out  of  it  for  no  niggers!" 

"  You  don't  intend  to  break  up  our  drill  do  3'ou  ?"  asked 
Lientenant  Watta;  his  3-ellow  face  growing  visibly  pale. 

"  All  I  want  is  to  pass  through  and  go  home." 

**  But  you  want  to  drive  through  our  ranks." 

"Xo  ! .     He  can't  go  through   here,"  said   another 

voice. 

"  We  will  stay  here  all  night  before  we  will  give  way  to 
them,"  said  Watta,  the  conversation  with  lawyer  Eily  and 
Uncle  Jesse  recurring  to  his  memory. 

"Never  mind,"  said  Gaston  with  an  oath,  "you  won't 
alwavs  be  insulting  me.  You  had  better  stop  now,  for 
you'll  find  you've  got  to." 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  69 

"Egh,  Watta,  don't  yos'  mind  what  Mann  Harris  said — 
tole  that  Hanson  Baker,  Tom's  brother,  said  a  month  ago 

that  there's  gwoine  to  be  the to  pay  in  Baconsville 

pretty  soon?  Reckon  the  white  folks  is  begun  that  p'o- 
grarame  he  tole  'bout,"  said  another  militia  man.  ''  He  said 
fifteen  hundred  of  'em  was  ready  to  break  us  up,  an'  of  co'se 
Gasten's  one  of  'em." 

A  volley  of  oaths  and  abusive  epithets  was  rolling  from 
Tommy  Baker's  lips;  which  was  indeed  their  most  familiar 
utterance  when  addressing  persons  of  color;  and  some  mem- 
bers of  the  company  began  to  return  the  charge  in  kind. 

"  Attention,  company  !"  shouted  Capt.  Doc.  "  It  is 
going  to  rain,  and  we  had  best  house  our  guns.  "We  won't 
hold  any  contention  with  these  men.  Now,  yo'  hush  up  ! 
I'll  settle  this  matter.  Open  order,  and  let  them  go 
through." 

The  command  was  obeyed,  but  not  without  murmurs 
of  discontent,  wliich,  however,  were  soon  qi^ieted,  as  a 
slight  shower  descended,  and  they  hastened  off  to  the 
armory. 

Marmor,  with  his  two  little  children,  had  been  standing 
a  few  rods  away,  watching  and  praising  the  exercise. 

When  the  altercation  occurred,  being  a  Warden  of  the 
town,  he  sent  John  Carr,  the  Town  Marshal,  or  Chief  of 
Police,  to  ascertain  its  cause;  but  it  was  passed  before  his 
arrival  at  the  scene. 


60  OTHER  FOOLS  AXD   THEIR  DOINGS. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

LEGAL    KEDRESS. 

'  O  thou  di'ead  Power  !  whose  empire-giving  hand 
Has  oft  been  stretched  to  shield  the  honored  land  !" 

So  trivial  a  quarrel  as  that  narrated  in  the  closing  part  of 
OTir  last  chapter,  had  it  occurred  elsewhere  than  in  a  com- 
munity in  which  the  inhabitants  had  so  recently  sustained 
the  relations  of  masters  and  slaves,  would  scarcely  have 
elicited  remark  upon  a  subsequent  day;  but  over  the  three 
or  four  hundred  colored,  and  forty  or  fifty  Avhite  residents 
of  Baconsviile  there  settled  a  dark  cloud  of  anxiety  and 
ajDprehension  of  coming  evil. 

Angry  looks  and  threats  of  violence  on  the  part  of  the 
whites  were  recalled  and  anxiouslv  discussed  bv  the  colored 
people,  as  Avere  also  the  recent  and  frequently  expressed 
determination  to  "  carry  the  next  election  for  the  Demo- 
cratic Party,  "  if  even  through  blood  waist  deep,"  though 
the  colored  voters  were  largely  in  the  majority,  and  almost 
without  exception,  if  unintimidated,  voted  the  Republican 
ticket. 

These,  with  the  oft-repeated  boast  that  the  illegal  Rifle 
Clubs,  trained  cavalry  companies,  were  ready  to  co-operate 
for  the  suppression  and  utter  dispersion  of  this  colored 
company  of  State  militia,  with  the  fact  that  similar  acts 
of  violence  were  by  no  means  new  experiences  to  the  ex- 


OTHER  FOOLS  AXD  THEIR  DOIXGS.        61 

slaves  in  the  South,  but  were  even  tlien  being  perpetrated  in 
the  surrouiidino-  counti'V,  made  the  outlook  for  the  colored 
population  gloomy,  indeed. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  officers  of  the  town,  with  the 
single  exception  of  our  friend  Marmor,  were  all  of  the  col- 
ored race,  and  as  he  was  a  Republican  native,  he  was 
even  more  repugnant  to  his  Mhite  neighbors  than  a 
"  nigger." 

On  the  other  hand,  during  the  two  months  preceding 
this  encounter,  these  militia-men  vrere  knov/n  to  have  been 
drilling  as  often  as  once  or  twice  a  week,  though  the  law  re- 
quired such  practice  but  once  a  month.  This  alarmed  the 
whites,  with  whom  anticipations  of  "insurrections"  are  still 
either  congenital  or  feigned.  « 

In  the  days  of  slavery,  and  also  by  the  South  Carolina 
"Black  Code" (the  only  exclusively  white  legislation  in  the 
State  since  reconstruction),  arms  were  strictly  forbid- 
den to  the  negroes,  and  under  heavy  penalties;  yet,  through 
the  subsequent  Republican  legislation,  they  rejoiced  in  be- 
ing the  "  National  Guards,''  bearing  the  same  flag  which 
Sherman  "carried  doAvn  to  the  sea,"  and  under  which  Cap- 
tain Doc  learned  tactics  and  heroism  in  the  "Black  Regi- 
ment," which  once  swept  over  Fort  Fisher,  and  closed  the 
last  port  of  the  rebellious  States. 

What  signified  it  to  those  conscience-accused  whites  that 
these  were  poor  men  maneuvering  by  the  light  of  the  moon 
to  save  the  expense  of  lighting  their  drill  room;  and,  unable 
to  spare  time  from  their  toil,  thev  took  it  from  the  hours  of 


62  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

their  rest,  to  prepare  for  a  creditable  performance  on  the 
Nation's  Centennial  birthday?  So  much  the  worse.  The 
Fourth  of  July  Avas  the  birthday  of  the  "  national  non- 
sense "  that  "  all  men  are  created  equal;"  and  it  was  not 
the  fault  or  credit  of  these  white  men  that  there  was  left  a 
nation  to  celebrate  its  Centennial. 

Now  that  the  sole  militia  of  the  State  was  enrolled  from 
this  emancipated  race  (white  men  would  not  enlist  under 
charters,  because  unassured  that  they  should  not  be  sub- 
ordinated to  colored  officers,  and  they  might  be  required  to 
sustain  a  State  government  of  the  colored  majority),  how 
should  one  expect  the  former  masters  to  be  content  and 
at  ease,  even  though  no  concerted  outbreak  had  ever 
occtirred  among  the  freedmen,  whose  temper  is  naturally- 
peaceable  and  timid  even  to  servility? 

Undoubtedly,  the  fears  of  those  once  reputed  hard  mas- 
ters, or  who  still  find  it  difficult  to  conform  to  the  new  con- 
ditions, are  often  distressing.  They  are  also  nature's  in- 
controvertible testimony  to  the  wisdom  and  divine  origin 
of  equal  rights. 

Great  was  the  excitement  of  the  Baker  families  when 
the  young  men  arrived  with  the  tale  of  their  "narrow  es- 
cape from  the  militia  men." 

Early  the  next  morning,  the  old  slave-hunter  and  his 
three  sons  set  out  for  the  office  of  Trial  Justice  Rives,  who, 
though  a  colored  man,  it  was  thought  could  be  more  easily 
induced  to  meet  out  punishment  to  those  miserable  offenders, 
than  I(Ouis  Marmor,  who  Avas   the   only  other  competent 


OTHER  FOOLS  AXD  THEIR  DOINGS.  63 

magistrate  in  the  town. 

Of  course,  as  has  been  the  custom  of  the  whites  there, 
from  tlie  earliest  settlement  of  that  country,  these  gentle- 
men all  wore  their  side-arms,  and  for  greater  safety  these 
were  put  into  the  very  best  condition,  and  fully  loaded,  as 
they  suspected  the  Town  Marshal,  who  ran  after  them  on 
the  previous  evening,  might  attempt  a  counter-arrest  for 
the  same  offense. 

Young  Tommy  did  not  feel  quite  safe  from  Dan  Pipsie 
without  his  eighteen-shooting  rifle  in  addition;  and  so, 
with  it  in  hand,  he  mounted  his  young  bay  horse,  while  be- 
side him  rode  his  brother-in-law,  Harry  Gaston, — the  best 
shot  in  town,  bearing  also  his  carbine;  while  the  father  and 
bis  eldest  son,  Hanson,  were  seated  in  a  light  wagon  in 
which  were  placed  additional  fire-arms,  lightly  covered  with 
a  lap-robe. 

Thus  equipped,  they  proceeded  in  safety,  through  the 
quiet  little  village  to  the  Justice's  office;  and  finding  it 
closed,  went  two  miles  further  on,  to  his  plantation,  and 
returned  with  him  to  his  office;  quite  a  formidable  party  to 
be  sure.  Arrived  there,  they  entered  complaints  against 
Dan  Pipsie  for  threats  to  kill,  and  against  the  officers  of  the 
Militia  Company  for  "  obstructing  the  highway.'' 

The  Justice,  being  himself  Major-general  of  that  division 
of  the  State  Militia,  after  thoughtfully  scratching  his  crispy 
locks  awhile,  said: 

"  I  reckon  it  is  best  to  hear  a  statement  of  the  testimony, 


64  OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

and  then  decide  whether  it  is  a  case  for  court-martialing, 
or  for  trial  under  the  civil  law?'' 

Ten  o'clock  of  the  next  morning  was  fixed  as  the  time 
for  liearing  the  case. 

At  that  hour  Justice  Rives  was  found  seated  behind  his 
desk,  and  busily  examining  papers  and  documents. 

The  Bakers  made  their  appearance,  accompanied  by  a 
few  friends,  among  whom  were  two  professional  men — a 
Reverend,  and  an  M.  D;  though  not  with  compresses  and 
consolations  for  the  possible  wounded  and  dying,  (for  South 
Carolina  chivalry  does  not  fight  its  duels  with  "niggers,") 
but  with  bail  money  (modified  from  bullets),  should  that 
counter-arrest,  which  they  feared,  be  attempted. 

Automatically,  or  through  force  of  liabit,  each  race  in 
the  southern  States  still  assumes,  in  assemblies,  the  posi- 
tions and  attitudes  imj^osed  in  the  days  of  slavery.  In  the 
churches  of  the  colored  people  one  or  more  of  the  most 
desirable  seats  are  reserved  for  whites,  and  these  often  re- 
main vacant,  or  nearly  so,  during  a  lengthy  service,  while 
church  members  stand  to  exhaustion  for  want  of  seats. 

Hence,  the  front  seats  of  Gen.  Justice  Rives'  court -room 
were  occupied  by  the  plaintifi^s  and  their  friends,  and  the 
defendants  and  tlieir  friends  sat  at  a  respectful  distance  in 
the  rear,  while  a  number  of  boys  and  women  of  color 
gathered  outside  of  the  door. 

The  magistrate,  who  had  not  altogether  escaped  the  envy 
of  his  less  fortunate  neiglibors,  had  often  been  accused  by 
them  of  a  sycophantic  weakness  for  the  approval  of  the 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND  THEIR  DOINGS.  65 

whites;  while  the  latter  declared  that  justice  could  not  be 
obtained  by  them  before  a  colored  officer,  and  that,  as  a 
political  canvass  was  approaching,  they  would  not  again 
submit  to  negro  magistrates. 

He  therefore  felt  his  position  peculiarly  trying,  especially 
when  he  saw  that  they  were  all  thoroughly  armed. 

He  held  both  his  official  positions  by  appointments  of  the 
Governor,  to  be  sure;  yet  he  knew  that  the  preponderance 
of  wealth,  intelligence  and  bravery  was  with  the  white 
race;  while  at  the  same  time  he  did  not  forget  that  if  "a 
traitor  to  his  race,"  he  would  probably,  through  ostracism 
and  insult,  reap  a  bitter  retribution  from  his  own  people. 

A  peace  warrant  was,  however,  soon  issued  against  Dan 
Pipsie,  his  "Daddy"  being  present  to  give  bail  for  his 
future  good  behavior.  Then,  with  some  apparent  reluc- 
tance and  nervousness,  the  Justice  called  the  principal  case. 

Mr.  Watta  arose  and  announced  that  lawyer  Kanrasp, 
from  the  county  seat  would  appear  for  the  defense. 

To  this  Robert  Baker  strenuously  objected,  as,  not  hav- 
ing been  advised  that  attorneys  would  be  employed,  he  had 
none.     He  therefore  asked  a  postponement  of  the  case. 

Kanrasp  then  suggested  to  his  client  that  inasmuch  as 
the  proceedings  had  thus  far  been  very  informal — the  pa- 
per served  being  neither  a  writ  nor  summons,  and  not  at 
all  a  legal  paper — he  would  withdraw  from  the  case,  and 
let  Rives  take  judgment  if  he  chose,  when  the  case  could  be 
appealed  to  the  Superior  Court,  where  justice  might  be 
had. 


66  OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS. 

This  he  did  on  account  of  the  extreme  indignation  mani- 
fested by  the  Bakers  and  their  friends. 

Gaston, who  was  a  shriveled,  weason-faced  specimen  of  the 
genus  homo,  with  sandy  hair,  flaming  whiskers,  and  a  face 
in  which  whiskey  held  a  profusion  of  freckles  in  pur 
pie  solution,  was  the  first  to  testify,  which  he  did  in  accord- 
ance with  his  views  of  the  affair. 

"  Xow,  Captain,"  said  the  Judge,  when  Gaston  had  fin- 
ished, "as  you  have  no  counsel,  you  may  question  the 
witness  if  you  want  to.*' 

Captain  Doc  was  a  well-made,  medium  sized  and  shrewd 
man,  little  less  than  forty  years  of  age,  with  very  dark 
complexion,  having  three-fourths  African  blood. 

He  arose  from  his  seat  quite  slowly,  and  squarely  front- 
ing Gaston,  asked: 

"  Mr.  Gaston,  did  I  treat  yo'  with  any  disrespect  when  I 
spoke  to  yo'?     Didn't  I  treat  yo'  politely?" 

"Ica'n't  say  that  you  treated  me  with  any  disrespect; 
but  I  can  say  this  much,  that  there  was  two  or  three  mem- 
bers of  your  company  that  showed  some  impudence  to  me, 
and  I  also  saw  them  load  their  guns." 

"Mr.  Gaston,"  replied  the  Captain,  looking  searchingly 
in  the  eyes  of  the  little  man,  "  didn't  yo'  see  me  examining 
the  cartridge-boxes  and  the  pockets  of  the  comj^any,  to  see 
if  they  had  any  ammunition  before  we  went  on  drill  ?" 

"Yes,  I  did." 

"  Did  yo'  see  any?" 

"No." 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  67 

"/did.  I  found  one  man  with  a  cartridge  in  his  pocket, 
and  I  took  it  away,  and  scolded  him  about  it." 

Gaston  replied,  "Yes,  I  saw  that." 

"Well  then,  are  yo'  certain  that  these  men  loaded  their 
guns  ?" 

"I  saw  them  moving  them,  and  I  thought  they  were 
loading  them." 

"And  so  yo' came  here  to  sz^'ecrr  that  Ave  Avanted  to  kill 
yo'  ?  That's  about  as  much  as  a  colored  man  can  get  for 
his  care  not  to  give  offense.  A  man  is  a  fool  to  go  out  of 
his  way  for  any  of  yo'  white  folks  anyway.  Yo'  had  no 
right  to  aim  to  drive  through  our  Company  as  yo'  did;  but 
when  I  gave  in  and  got  out  of  yo'r  "way,  and  let  you  go 
'long — gave  yo'  the  road  that  b'longed  to  us — yo'  just  come 
heah  with  such  a  lie  as  that  against  us." 

"  Captain,  I  don't  want  you  to  treat  my  court  with  con- 
tempt," said  Rives,  severely.  "  If  you  can't  address  the 
gentleman  more  politely  you  must  sit  down." 

"  Judge,  I  don't  mean  no  contempt,"  said  Doc,  in  a  con- 
ciliatory tone,  "  not  if  I  know  myself.  I  never  expect  to 
treat  no  lawful  court  with  any  contempt.  I  was  only  ask- 
ing questions,  but  if  the  questions  is  not  legal,  then  I  don't 
want  to  ask  him.  I  M'on't  ask  no  mo',  but  leave  it  to  yo'r 
discretion,"  and  he  sat  down. 

"  Well,  sir,  to  sit  down  without  permission  is  contempt 
of  court." 

With  such  an  air  of  drollery  as  only  a  negro  can  assume. 
Doc  sprung  to  his  feet  again,  saying — 


68  OTHER  FOOLS  A^^)  THEIR  DOINGS. 

"  Yo'  mus'  pardon  me  sab.  I's  not  accustomed  to  law 
offices.  If  sitting  down  or  anything  else  is  contempt,  I'm 
asking  yo'r  j^ardon  this  minute;  for  I  didn't  mean  to  con- 
tempt this  court." 

"  It  is  contempt,  sirl"  thundered  the  judge,  and  I  put 
you  under  arrest,  and  dismiss  this  court  till  July  the  8th 
at  four  o'clock  in  the  evening." 

Some  protestations  were  made  on  account  of  the  lateness 
of  the  hour,  but  Rives  insisted  be  could  not  leave  his  plan- 
tation labor  earlier,  and  immediately  declared  the  court 
adjourned. 

Neither  the  day  nor  hour  was  satisfactory  to  the  com- 
plainants, as  it  was  on  Saturday  afternoon,  when  many 
country  negroes  were  certain  to  visit  the  village  shops, 
stores,  and  market;  but  as  the  whites  were  more  generally 
masters  of  their  own  time,  it  is  possible  Rives  feared  he 
might  need  the  presence  and  support  of  his  own  race 
should  he  not  condemn  the  accused. 

Harry  Gaston  was  enraged  and  strutted  about  like  a 
bantam  cock;  his  face  became  almost  livid,  and  his  hands 
nervously  bobbed  in  and  out  of  the  breast  pockets  of  his 
short  coat,  where  rested  a  well-prepared  pistol  on  one  side, 
and  a  flask  of  whiskey  on  the  other.  Alas,  the  flask  knew 
little  rest. 

"  I  pray  you  be  calm,  my  dear  nephew,"  said  the  Reverend 
Mr.  Mealy,  who,  though  inwardly  seething,  was  so  en- 
swathed  in  his  own  innate  mealiness,  that  he  was  measur- 
ably cool.  "Do  not  allow  this  degraded  black  to  disturb  you. 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS.  69 

Remember  your  position  in  society.  You  have  been  raised 
by  me  as  my  own  son.  Do  not  disgrace  yourself  and  me 
by  condescending  to  dispute  with  one  in  his  station,  and  of 
his  color,"  and  grasping  the  young  man's  arm,  he  moved 
towards  the  door. 

Lieutenant  AVatta,  Avho  had  been  sitting  beside  his  Cap- 
tain, now  sprung  to  his  feet,  and  grasping  Doc's  arm, 
rushod  towards  the  door,  attempting  to  lead  him  out. 

Doc,  however,  hung  back,  and  having  extricated  himself, 
said  in  a  low  tone,  "  Watta,  keep  cool!"  and  he  sat  down 
again. 

"I  won't  keep  cool!"  retorted  the  lieutenant.  This  white- 
livered  judge  has  shown  partiality.  Look  at  the  arms  in 
this  courtroom!  and  Rives  is  afraid!"  (with  a  sneer.)  "They 
may  shed  my  blood  if  they  can,  but  I  won't  keep  still  and 
see  my  captain  arrested  for  contempt  just  because  in  quest- 
tioning,  he  got  ahead  of  these  unrebuked  and  cowardly  bul- 
lies when  you  humbled  us  all,  on  the  Fourth  of  July,  to  avoid 
a  fuss  and  concilliate  their  lordships;"  and  the  enraged  man 
strode  out  of  the  building,  threw  the  gate  back  upon  its 
hinges,  and  standing  in  the  opening  thus  made,  drew  him- 
self to  his  full  hight,  and  threw  out  his  empty  palms  ex- 
claiming 

"I  carry  no  arms;  but  we've  got  arms." 

"Yes,  you've  got  arms,  but  you'll  see  how  it'll  be 
yourselves  ! "  said  Hanson  Baker,  who  had  been  ha- 
ranguing the  people  outside  the  court  house.  "  There's 
a  fellow  from  Texas  here,  two  or  more  of  'em,  and  they're 


^0  OTHER  FOOLS  AXD  THEIR  DOINGS. 

going  to  kill  that  Town  Marshall,  and  nobody  isn't  going 
to  know  who  done  it,  and  then  they'll  leave." 

""What  does  he  or  they  know  about  John  Carr,  the  Mar- 
shall?" asked  a  very  large,  but  irresolute-looking  black  man. 

"  He's  been  informed  of  his  character,  and  I  tell  you 
John  Carr  won't  be  living  in  this  town  three  months,  neither 
will  some  o'  the  rest.*' 

"  How  about  that  Harmony  Case  ?"  asked  the  same  voice 
(a  case  of  massacre  of  blacks). 

"Well,  I  wasn't  there,  but  they  done  it,  and  there's  a 
programme  laid  down  for  the  white  folks  this  year." 

"  That  is  wu'ong,"  said  a  voice. 

"Well,  if  it  is  wrong,  it  is  no  matter;  it'll  be  done  all  the 
same.     There  is  no  law- s  now. 

"  Ha  !  ha  !"  laughed  the  crowd,  the  whites  applauding, 
and  the  blacks  deriding  the  threats. 

"  Does  yo'  pretend  to  say  there  a'n't  no  law  in  the  State 
now?" 

"Xo,  there  a'n't  no  law"  in  this  State,  nor  an}^  other  State. 
It's  been  a  hundred  years  since  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States,  and  it's  played  out  now,  and  every  man  can 
do  as  he  likes.  We're  going  to  get  Chamberlain  and  his 
crowd  out  o'  the  State  House." 

"How  about  Grant  ?   You  know  he's  President." 

"By !  we'll  have  him  too." 

"  Take  care,  that  is  treason,"  said  another. 

Harrison  Baker  and  Watta  proceeded,  each  with  his  har- 
angue, and  paid  no  heed  to  each  other,  till   the  plaintiffs 


OTHER   FOOLS   AXD   THEIR  DOINGS.  71 

and  their  friends  crowded  out  of  the  building,  pistols  in 
hand,  ready  for  instantaneous  use. 

A  frightened  old  mammy  bawled  out,  with  great  eyes 
rolling,  and  groat  hands  waving,  "See  the  pistols  and  guns! 
See  the  pistols  and  guns!  Oh,  Lor'!  they  ort  to  be  shot 
down  theirselves!"  but  the  next  instant  she  cowered  under 
the  same  fierce  gaze  of  the  ''  old  man  Baker,"  which  had 
made  many  a  stalwart  runaway  stand  tamely  after  the  dogs 
were  taken  off  and  while  the  shackles  were  put  on. 

*'  Uncle,  Uncle,  let  me  go,"  said  Gaston  impatiently,  striv- 
ing to  free  himself  from  that  worthy's  grasp,  "  I  want  to 
shut  that  yellow  chap's  month  with  this  little  bit  of  lead. 
The  judge  ought  to  arrest  lam,  but  I'll  take  his  case  if 
you'll  let  me  go,  I'll  give  him  a  mouthful  to  chaw!" 

"Shut  my  mouth,  would  you?"  retorted  Watta,  who  had 
caught  the  words  as  the  two  men  approached  the  door. 
"You'll  find  that  hard  business  before  you  are  through  with 
it,  if  you  try.  The  whites  have  ruhd  us  lomx  enouo-h. 
Two  hundred  and  fifty  years  they  bought  and  sold  us  like 
cattle,  till  the  United  States  set  us  free;  and  since  then, 
colored  citizens  have  been  tied  and  wliipped,  and  shot,  and 
murdered  in  cold  blood,  and  driven  from  their  homes,  and 
their  property  destroyed,  to  this  day.  But  it  is  all  no  mat- 
ter here  before  this  white-livered  judge.  It'll  take  a  regi- 
ment to  tie  and  whip  me,  or  spill  what  black  blood  2 
have." 

"  Do  not  speak  to  him,  my  nephew,"  said  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Mealy. 


72  OTHER  FOOLS   AXD   THEIR  DOINGS. 

"A  regimenti"  cried  Gaston,  with  a  sneer.  "Let  me  go 
and  whip  liini  myself;"  but  the  readiness  with  which  lie 
yielded  to  the  pressure  of  his  uncle's  hands,  was  amusingly 
in  contrast  with  his  wdrds. 

"  We  will  have  this  matter  settled  by  law  now,  and  know 
whether  we  are  to  be  run  over  in  this  way.  AVe  Mill 
know  which  are  to  rule  this  place — the  blacks  or  the  wliites," 
said  Rev.  Mr.Mealy.  "  We'll  know  what  rights  this  militia 
company  have.  They  liave  got  an  idea  that  they  can  do 
whatever  they  please.     We'll  have  it  settled  now." 

"This  court  is  a  mockery  of  justice,"  continued  Watta. 
"  Look  at  those  arms  on  the  side  of  wealth,  and  an  unarmed 
poor  man  arrested  for  contempt,  because  he  has  a  dark  skin 
and  cornered  his  opponent  by  lawful  questions.  The  next 
time  a  white  swell  rides  into  our  ranks  while  we  are  on 
parade  we  will  see  that  he  doesn't  take  us  to  court  for  ob- 
structing his  way," 

Rev.  Mr.  Mealy,  Dr.  Shall,  and  General  Rives  were 
active  and  nearest  in  efforts  to  control  the  now  highly  in- 
censed Baker  family  and  Gaston;  and  an  influential  colored 
man  succeeded  in  getting  Watta  out  of  the  street.  With 
deep  muttered  threats  and  oaths,  the  Bakers'  and  their 
friends  at  length  betook  themselves  to  their  conveyances 
and  their  homes. 

Captain  Doc  conversed  with  the  constable,  in  the  justice's 
office,  while  the  latter  official  went  to  his  dinner  and  re- 
turned. Re-entering,  Rives  approached,  and  extending  his 
hand  said  good-humored Iv,  "  Shake  hands  Doc." 


OTHER   FOOLS   AXD   THEIR  DOINGS.  Y3 

"I  dou't  know,"  replied  be,  with  averted  eyes. 

"  Yes,  you  will.  I  couldn't  help  it.  You  was  bearing 
on  so  bard  that  they  would  have  shot  you  in  two  minutes 
more.     I  did  it  to  save  you." 

*^Is  that  so,  judge?"  Then  here's  my  band.  I  didn't 
mean  no  contempt;  but  if  I've  contempted  you,  or  your 
court  I'm  sorry." 

"That's  all  right  now,  and  I'll  remit  the  line.  Now  let 
me  tell  you,  3''ou'd  best  settle  this  matter  somehow,  if  it  is 
possible.  I'm  afraid  trouble  will  come  of  this.  I  wish 
Watta  had  'a'  kept  still." 

"  So  do  I.  He's  a  marked  man  now,  shor',  and  his  life 
an't  worth  much,"  said  Nat  Wellman,  the  constable. 

" Settle  it?"  said  Capt.  Doc.  "Major  Gener.il Rives,  noth- 
ing will  settle  it  but  to  let  the  company  be  broken  up.  I 
won't  do  that,  and  my  oath  to  the  State,  that  I  have  taken  as 
Captain,  wouldn't  let  me  if  I  wanted  to." 

"  I  can't  see  the  end  of  this  yet,  I  can't"  said  the  Judge, 
with  a  sigh,  as  the  trio  separated. 


74  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

CHAPTER   V. 

PREPAEATIOXS. 

"  Why,  man,  he  doth  bestride  the  narrow  world. 
Like  a  Colossus;  and  wc  petty  men 
Walk  under  his  huge  legs,  and  peep  about 
To  find  ourselves  dishonorable  graves. " 

Casca,  in  Julius  Caesar. 

The  8th  of  July,  1876,  was  an  exceedingly  hot  day, 
and  few  white  residents  of  the  State  of  South  Carolina 
ventured  out  of  doors  in  the  hotter  hours,  though,  as  is 
usual,  the  colored  race  needed  less  caution  to  avoid  sun- 
stroke. 

About  nine  o'clock,  A.  M.,  two  gentlemen  issued  from  an 
attractive  residence,  which  was  situated  on  a  slight  emin- 
ence on  the  outskirts  of  a  little  village  called  Enfield  Court- 
House.  Leaving  the  broad  piazza,  they  walked  leisurely 
down  the  gently  sloj^ing  lawn  to  the  street.  As  they 
closed  the  gate  behind  them  a  covered  buggy  passed,  in 
which  was  seated  a  middle-aged  man  who  bore  a  decidedly 
commanding  air.  ^ 

His  hat  lay  upon  the  seat  beside  him,  and  the  light  hot 
breeze  lifted  the  long  iron-gray  hair  which  lay  upon 
his  shoulders,  and  fluttered  his  linen  duster  and  the  loose 
flapping  curtains  of  the  carriage  with  a  cool  and  comfort- 
able appearance. 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR   DOINGS.  Y5 

His  horse  was  fresh,  and  so  spirited  that  the  neatly- 
o-lovcd  hauds  of  the  gentleman  were  well-exercised  in  con- 
trolling him. 

He  found  time  to  gaze  at  the  two  gentlemen  iii»on  the 
ground,  however,  but  gave  no  sign  of  recognition,  save 
possibly  a  little  more  lofty  elevation  of  the  head. 

"The  General  is  off  on  professional  business,  judging 
from  his  manner  and  duster,"  remarked  the  elder  of  the 
two  pedestrians. 

"I  often  find  it  hard  to  repress  a  smile,  even  in  his  pres- 
ence, at  his  icojidroics  pomj^osity.  What  kind  of  a  busi- 
ness would  he  do  in  the  Korth — Ohio,  say — with  all  his  airs? 
He  would'nt  have  a  client." 

"  Oh,  yes,  he  would.  There  are  plenty  of  people  every- 
where, who  never  know  what  estimate  to  put  upon  others 
till  they,  or  some  one  else  tell  them.  But  the  General's 
"airs,"  as  you  call  them,  are  his  stock  in  trade  here." 

Both  men  laughed  heartily. 

"But  to  think  of  a  man  passing  his  neighbor  and  State 
Senator  as  he  did  you,  Mr.  Cone!  He  should  respect  your 
office,  at  least." 

"Ahl  that's  what  he  does  not  do  when  a  radical  Is  the 
incumbent.  He  was  once  quite  condescending  and  affable 
to  me,  when  I  let  politics  and  education  alone,  and  didn't 
meddle  with  them  at  all." 

"Meddle:  Senator!  Who  has  abetter  right  than  you 
to  take  an  interest  in  politics?" 

"Young  man  you  forget  yourself,  you  must  learn  meek- 


76  OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

ness  and  discretion — not  to  put  too  line  a  point  on  it — or 
you  will  get  into  trouble." 

"  But  we  are  immensely  in  the  majority, — the  State  is 
really  in  our  hands.  Why  should  we  cringle  and  bow  to 
this  haughty  minority  just  because  the  blood  of  their 
families,  is  in  our  veins,  mixed  with  various  proportions  of 
African?' 

"But  you're  a  "nigger!" 

"  True,  and  they  used  to  say  that  black  men  had  no 
rights  that  white  men  were  bound  to  respect.  That  was 
their  day.     This  is  ours." 

"  Ah,  but  I  want  a  better  pattern  for  my  life  than  they 
have  been.  I  say,  because  we  are  in  the  majority,  let  us 
take  all  the  honors  and  offices  we  can,  but  wear  them 
meekly  for  our  safety's  sake,  and  fill  them  honorably  for 
conscience's  sake.  Good  morning!"  and  the  twain  sepa- 
rated to  go,  the  one  to  his  law  studies,  and  the  other  to  his 
duties  as  planter  and  legislator. 

We  will  accompany  the  General.  Right  tbrough  the 
torrid  heat  he  kept  on,  over  hill  and  valley,  only  stopping 
occasionally  to  cool  his  reeking  horse  in  the  shade  of  some 
friendly  tree,  or  to  converse  with  some  white  man  whose 
house  he  entered  briefly,  or  whom  he  beckoned  to  his  car- 
riage if  within  call. 

At  length  he  descended  a  long  hill,  and,  reining  his 
horse  below  the  bridge,  he  drove  into  a  small  stream, 
wliere,  in  tlie  shade  of  some  overhanging  trees,  he  paused 
a  few  moments,  allowing  his  horse  to  drink  while  be  hastily 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  77 

pencilled  a  few  ligures  in  his  notebook.  Adding  them  up 
lie  shook  his  head  thoughtfully,  and  said,  in  a  low  tone: 
"That  will  not  do.     AVhieh  uny  next  ?" 

On  looking  up,  he  descried  a  horseman  descending  the 
hill  before  him.  Driving  out  of  the  water,  and  regaining 
the  road,  he  awaited  his  approach. 

"Howdy  do,  General?"  said  the  equestrian,  pausing 
beside  the  carriage.  "  Hot  day  this." 

"  Infernally  hot,  Dr.  Wise  I"  and  he  grasped  the  extended 
hand,  as  he  wiped  the  perspiration  from  his  face  and  neck 
with  his  left,  and,  though  apparently  irritated  by  the  heat, 
he  shook  hands  cordially. 

"  It  is  hot  here,  hot  as  that  hottest  of  all  places,  and  I 
hear  they  are  going  to  have  that  over  here  in  Baconsville 
pretty  soon  ;  I  hear  so,"  and  the  Doctor  shook  his  fat  sides 
with  a  chuckling  laugh,  adding:  "You  naust  have  import- 
ant business  to  call  you  out  to-day." 

"It  is  quite  important,  quite,'^  replied  General  Baker. 
"I  have  got  a  suit  on  hand  in  Baconsville  that  is  quite 
important,  and  if  that  other  place  you  are  talking  about 
comes  there,  I  hope  I  shall  not  find  it  hotter  than  this  hol- 
low is.     Xiggers  may  stand  it,  but  I  cannot." 

Both  gentlemen  were  delighted  and  laughed  loudly. 

"Tve  just  come  from  there,"  said  Dr.  Wise. 

"  From  where — Baconsville?  or  the  other  hot  place?" 

"  Oh,  from  Baconsville,"  replied  the  medical  man,  laugh- 
ing. "  I  couldn't  have  got  away  from  the  other  place  with 
all  this  fat," 


78  OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

The  laugh  again  subsiding,  he  continued:  "You  see  I 
have  a  patient  I  am  watching  over  there;  and  being  in  the 
neighborhood,  was  called  in  to  see  two  or  three  of  the  bet- 
ter class  of  colored  people.  I'm  afraid  you'll  have  trouble, 
there,  at  that  suit.  The  niggers  are  sauc}",  and  very  angry 
about  that  collision  between  the  Bakers  and  the  militia." 

"  Well,  Doctor,  the  colored  people  in  South  Carolina  have 
become  so  insolent  and  insurrectionary,  and  intractable,  and 
have  taken  on  so  many  intolerable  airs,  that  they  must  be 
made  to  know  their  places.  You  will  see  their  wenches  on 
the  streets  of  Augusta  and  Charleston,  and  all  our  cities, 
with  their  "pin-backs"  and  "button  shoes,"  and  "bus- 
tles," and  indeed  imitating  our  ladies  in  everything;  and 
they  even  act  as  though  they  expected  a  white  man  to  step 
aside  and  let  them  pass,  as  if  they  were  the  ladies  them- 
selves. I  saw  an  affair  in  Charleston  the  other  day  that 
made  my  blood  hoil^  and  I  involuntarily  laid  my  hand 
upon  my  pistol,  but  fortunately  I  was  preserved  from  using 
it. 

"Three  great  black — creatures,  I  suppose  I  must  call 
them  men — were  walking  up  the  street,  and  met  three 
young  ladies  whom  I  know  to  be  members  of  one  of  our 
best  families.  What  do  you  think  but  that  these  impudent 
brutes  actually  crowded  our  ladies  into  the  gutter — made 
them  actually  step  off  the  pavement  for  want  of  room  to 
pass  !  Quite  fortunately  the  ditch  was  dry,  and  not  deep 
— four  or  five  inches,  at  most.  But  such  indignities  are  too 
great  a  tax  on  the  forbearance  of  a  gentleman  of  gallantry! 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS.        79 

Only  one  of  the  ladies  actually  stepped  off,  but  then,  time 
was  when  I  could  have  blown  out  the  brains  of  all  three  of 
the  rascals,  and  the  community  and  the  State  would  have 
sustained  me.  But  those  were  days  of  "  home  rule."  Alas! 
when  shall  we  ever  see  them  again! 

"  I  do  not  know  what  they  are  meditating  at  Baconsville, 
but  I  hear  they  have  been  performing  military  evolutions, 
with  arms  in  their  hands,  two  or  three  times  a  week, 
recently,  and  at  night  too;  and  I  am  called  over  to  put  a 
stop  to  it.  AVhy,  we  are  not  safe  in  our  beds!  It  is  one 
of  the  atrocities  of  our  carpet-bag  government  that  they 
are  allowed  arms  at  all,  and  now  they  have  attacked  our 
people." 

"  Xow,  you  don't  say  so.  General!"  exclaimed  the  Doctor, 

"To  be  sure!  This  case  of  mine  would  bear  that  con- 
struction; though  Mr.  Robert  Baker  has,  in  the  absence  of 
counsel,  very  mildly,  and  I  fear  unwisely,  put  it  on  the 
ground  of  'obstructing  the  highway.'  He  might  have 
made  a  case  much  stronger,  for  they  obstructed  the  way 
with  tlieir  guns  and  bayonets,  and  Gaston  says  some  of 
them,  at  least,  were  seen  to  load  their  guns  on  the  spot." 

"It  is  a  case  of  positive  violence,  then,  and  insurrec- 
tion?" 

"Oh,  positive  insubordination,"  said  the  General,  with 
great  emphasis  and  indignation.  "  And  they  have  been 
making  such  threats  that  I'm  called  over  to  see  if  there  is 
any  redress  possible — any  law  or  means  by  which  they,  can 
be  restrained." 


80  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

"If  anybody  can  straighten  them  out,  yo?^  can,  General  ; 
whether  it  is  to  he  done  by  Law  or  hy  force  of  arms.  We 
haven't  forgotten  your  record  in  the  Confederate  service. 
But  have  you  no  help?  You  will  need  backing,  I  fear." 

"I  have  called  upon  several  gentlemen  along  the  way, 
and  interested  them  and  their  clubs,  I  think;  and  the  club  at 
Enfield  promise  to  come  over  to  my  assistance  one  hundred 
strong  at  least.  But  I  have  just  been  computing  and  could 
desire  even  a  larger  force,  especially  should  the  Judge  de- 
cide adversely  to  us;  for  something  must  be  done  to  insure 
our  protection.     I  confess  I  feel  some  concern." 

"  On  reflection,  I  think  you  need  not,  General,  for  the 
community  is  fully  aroused  by  a  report  that  the  negroes 
intend  to  mob  those  young  men." 

"MobthemI"  ejaculated  General  Baker,  with  an  oath. 
"  They  will  scarcely  dare  to  do  that.  They  know  my  mili- 
tary reputation  too  well  to  try  that,  and  I  shall  be  prepared 
for  them,  now  that  you  have  kindly  forewarned  me.  But  to 
be  so  Doctor,  1  must  bid  you  good-day,  and  hasten  forward, 
for  a  good  seven  miles  lies  before  me  yet." 

"I  have  great  confidence  in  your  ability  to  command  suc- 
cess, and  am  sure  the  darkies  have  a  wholesome  respect  for 
the  same.  So,  wishing  you  all  success,  I  also  bid  you 
good-day." 

The  General  now  called  more  frequently  upon  the  white 
people  along  the  way,  but  soon  found  them  anticipating  his 
coming  and  ready  to  join  him  soon;  forming  quite  an  escort 
of  cavalry  as  they  proceeded. 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS.       81 

It  was  two  o'clock  and  intenselj  hot  when  they  arrived 
at  Sommer  Ilil],  and  found  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
men  grouped  in  the  shade  of  two  wide-spreading  oak  trees 
near  a  church  there,  and  around  a  grog  shop  opposite. 

Tlie  General's  arrival  was  greeted  with  three  cheers,  three 
times  repeated,  and  three  ^'tigers;"  and  the  men,  anxious  to 
do  him  honor,  pressed  around  his  carriage  to  shake  his 
hand  and  assure  him  that  they  still  cherished  the  recollec- 
tions of  his  gallantry  on  behalf  of    the  "lost  cause." 

Though  quite  animated,  this  scene  was  brief,  for  courte- 
ously declining  the  scores  of  invitations  to  "  drink,"  Gen- 
eral Baker  informed  his  followers  that  the  call  to  duty  was 
still  more  imperative  to  his  mind  than  those  to  eat  or 
drink,  and  he  must  hasten  forward  to  consult  with  his  cli- 
ents before  the  hour  for  court  arrived. 

Directing  them  to  remain  there  till  signaled,  and  to  keep 
an  outlook  from  the  brow  of  the  hill  overlooking  Bacons- 
ville,  two  miles  away,  he  bravely  rode  thitherward  entire- 
ly unattended,  notwithstanding  the  earnest  protestations 
of  his  numerous  friends. 

"  So  brave  a  man  who  can  decline  such  entreaties  to  drink, 
and  as  gracefully  as  the  General  did,  ought  to  be  at  the 
head  of  a  temperance  society,"  said  a  young  man,  lounging 
near  the  church. 

"That's  so,  Jimminy!"  replied  a  comrade.  "Wonder  if 
he  isn't. 

"  I'm  afraid  not.  I  suppose  he  takes  his  wine,  and  jjrob- 
ably  something  stronger  sometimes;  though  he  wants  a  cool 


82  OTHER  FOOLS  AXD   THEIR  DOINGS. 

head  now.  I  wish  those  fellows  over  there  wouldn't  drink 
so.  I'm  for  breaking  up  the  nigger  militia;  but  we  want 
eool  heads  for  it.  We  can  scare  the  niggers  out  of  it  if  we 
work  it  right,  and  all  keep  sober." 

"  That's  what  I  think,  but  you  see  already  how  it  will  be. 
I  would  go  home  and  give  it  up,  but  they'll  say  I  was 
afraid.  I  don't  want  to  get  into  no  collisions  with  the 
United  States,  for  my  part;  and  if  a  lot  of  them  get  drunk, 
I'm  afraid  something  will  be  done  that  will  lead  to  that." 

Less  than  half  a  mile  from  where  this  conversation  was 
passing,  Harry  Gaston  sat  in  his  shady  porch. 

"  Don't  set  there  doing  nothing  but  watching,"  said  a 
tall  lean  young  woman  who  sat  just  inside  of  the  door, 
busying  herself  by  rocking  in  an  easy  chair.  "  The  Gen- 
eral will  think  yo'  reckon  on  'im  awfully,  an'  he's  conceited 
enough  now,  mercy  knows  !  There,  take  them  old  papers 
of  yo're  uncle's,  and  make  as  if  yo'  was  studying  politics  on 
yo'  own  hook;"  and  she  tossed  a  handful  of  newspapers 
upon  the  floor  beside  him. 

He  took  up  a  copy  of  that  celebrated  democratic  organ 
of  the  South,  the  Charleston  JVeicsand  Courier,  dated  May, 
1875,  and  read — 

"Governor  Chamberlain  richly  deserves  the  confidence 
of  the  people  of  this  State.  The  people  of  South  Carolina, 
who  have  all  at  stake,  who  see  and  hear  what  persons  out- 
side the  State  cannot  know,  are  satisfied  with  his  honesty. 
They  believe  in  him  as  well  they  may." 

"Bah!   the  contemptible  carpet-bagger!"  said   Gaston, 


Other  fools  and  their  doings.  83 

dashing  the  paper  on  the  floor;  and  picking  up  another, 
dated  February,  1876,  he  read  again — 

"  We  believe  that,  without  regard  to  consequences  or  to 
his  party,  ho  (the  Governor)  will  go  on  in  the  narrow  path 
of  right." 

xVnother — '^January,  ISTG.  In  South  Carolina  the  con- 
spicuous leader  in  the  fight  for  reform,  the  one  man  wlio 
has  made  reform  possible  at  an  early  day,  is  Governor 
Cliamberlain,  whose  election  was  the  greatest  blessino-  in 
disguise  that  this  people  has  ever  known." 

"The  greatest  curse!"  exclaimed  Gaston  kicking  the 
paper  off  the  porch. 

"  That  the  Courier  ?''  drawled  Mrs.  Gaston.  **  I  thought 
that  used  to  be  the  best  paper  in  the  South — true  to  the 
Confederacy  all  through  the  war.  Has  it  gone  over  to  the 
Radicals  ?" 

"  It  don't  pretend  so,  but  it  has  been  bribed,  I  reckon." 

A  voice  from  the  highway,  now  called  the  husband 
away  to  hold  a  brief  colloquy  with  General  Baker. 

"  My  horse  is  very  tired  and  warm,  and  I  myself  am  in 
need  of  refreshment;  so,  Mr.  Gaston,  I  shall  be  obliged  if 
you  will  strike  across  the  fields  and  notify  your  father-in- 
law  of  my  arrival,  and  bring  him  and  your  brother-in-law, 
Tom,  to  the  store  of  Mr.  Dunn  to  meet  me  for  conference 
about  the  suit  we  have  in  hand,"  and  the  great  man  drove  on. 

"  Mary,  General  Baker  wants  me  to  go  across  the  fields 
to  your  father's  for  him,"  said  the  young  man,  with  a  de- 
mure countenance,  on  re-entering  the  house. 


84r  OTHER  FOOLS  AXD  THEIR  DOINGS. 

"  VTeW,  I  reckon  yo'  won't  do  no  sucli  a  thing  !"  she  re- 
plied, forcibly.  "  A  mighty  easy  thing  it  would  be  for 
some  nigger  to  pop  you  over,  and  nobody  to  see.  Yo' 
won't  go  that  way." 

"  I'll  just  gallop  down  the  other  road  and  get  to  the  vil- 
lage ahead  o'  the  General;  Tom's  thar',  we  can  go  together 
after  the  old  man;  though  T  a'n't  afraid  of  the  niggers." 

"See!  see!  Meester  Dunn,"  said  that  worthy's  helpful 
"  frau,"  as  they  sat  at  their  dinner  in  a  room  immediately 
in  the  rear  of  their  grocery.  "  Dar  is  Shinneral  Paker  from 
Eneiield,  an'  er  pe  shtopping  right  here!  Pe  quick,  now. 
My  laws!  but  dis  vill  pe  ine  goot  ebening  by  de  bar!  De 
Shenneral  shtop  'ere,  an'  all  de  gem'mans  and  companies 
come,  too!     Hurry,  now  Shorge!" 

"  Dat  alle  right  now.  I  fix  'm  mit  ole  Bob  gester-tag," 
said  the  shrewd  though  moderate  husband,  George,  arising 
from  the  table,  and  shuffling  through  the  glass  door  by 
which  the  dining-room  and  grocery  (or  more  accurately 
groggery)^  communicated,  he  greeted  the  great  militar}^ 
dignity  with  a  volume  of  broken  English  that  was  almost 
incomprehensible. 

Shaking  the  dust  from  his  apparel,  the  distinguished 
guest  ordered  food  and  drink  for  his  beast,  after  time  given 
him  to  cool;  adding  that  he  would  refresh  himself  while 
M'aiting  for  the  appearance  of  his  clients. 

"Alle  riirht!  allc  ris^ht!  De  ole  voman  vill  serve  vou," 
replied  Dunn,  as  he  followed  his  colored  servant  and  the 
wearv  horse  to  the  stables. 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND    THEIR    DOINGS.  86 

Gaston  and  Tommy  were  by  tliis  time  crossing  the  great 
truck-farm  of  Robert  Baker,  every  rood  of  which  was  pur- 
chased with  the  earnings  of  trained  blood-hounds,  chasing 
fugitives  from  justice  or  labor,  and  mainly  the  lattei. 

In  a  sag  of  land,  between  the  hills  on  the  right  and  the 
river  on  the  left,  was  a  brickyard,  in  the  office  of  Avhich 
Mr.  Robert  Baker  and  his  son  Hanson  were  found. 

The  four  men  were  soon  e/i  route  for  Baconsville.  A 
colored  boy,  bound  apjDrentice  to  the  older  Baker,  skulked 
along  the  crooked  fence  by  the  wayside. 

"  Joe,"  said  the  old  man,  stopping  the  horse,  "Joe,  come 
here."  The  personal  appearance  and  reputation  of  the  old 
man,  and  recollections  of  a  recent  chastisement  for  drum- 
ming for  the  militia  company,  made  little  Joe's  dark  skin 
quiver  as  he  timidly  approached  the  vehicle. 

"  Get  in,"  said  the  same  gruff  voice,  as  room  was  made 
for  the  child  at  Baker's  feet,  where  he  gathered  himself 
into  the  smallest  possible  ball,  from  which  two  great,  soft, 
timid  eyes  looked  from  one  face  to  another,  and  from  the  two 
glittering  guns  of  the  young  men  who  rode  on  either  side, 
and  the  pistol-shaped  lumps  on  the  left  breasts  of  their  thin 
coats,  to  the  breasts  of  the  two  men  fronting  him  in  the 
carriage,  where  he  could  see  two  more  bright  and  shining 
"nine-shooters"  peeping  out. 

The  wind  presently  raised  a  paper  from  a  basket  stand- 
ing beside  him,  and  disclosed  two  great  horse-pistols  lying 
on  a  clean  white  napkin. 

"  I  wonder  is  dev  o-woine  to  shoot  Doc  and  Watta  wid 


86  OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS. 

dem  'ar',  as  Ned  Dunn  said  dey  is  ?"  thought  the  child. 
"Dat  looks  like  dar's  a  mighty  nice  lunch  undah  'era,  any- 
how?" 

Hanson  Baker  jerked  the  lap-robe  from  his  knees,  and 
covered  the  basket  from  view. 

They  soon  reached  Dunn's  store,  and  alighted,  and  re- 
moving the  basket,  bade.  Joe  return  with  the  horse  and 
carriage,  and  remember  to  stay  there  closely. 

As  tliey  sat  in  close  conversation  in  the  back  part  of  that 
groggery,  while  the  General  partook  of  the  "  nice  lunch" 
the  basket  did  contain,  it  was  plain  that  "  Old  Bob  Baker, 
the  slave  catcher,"  and  the  aristocratic  General  had  little 
in  common  except  their  patronymic  and  their  political 
opinions  and  ideas. 


OTHER  FOOLS  AXD   THEIR   DOIXGS.  87 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  CLOUD  THICKENS. 

"  Yon  Cassius  has  a  lean  and  hungry  look; 

He  thinks  too  much  :  such  men  are  dangerous. 

Fear  him  not,  Caesar,  he's  not  dangerous  ; 

He  is  a  noble  Roman  and  well  given." 

— Julius  C^sar. 
The  State  of  South  Carolina  was  settled  by  political 
refugees  and  desperadoes  of  every  description  and  from 
every  nation,  with  no  unity  of  ideas  or  interests;  and 
African  slavery  was  introduced  but  two  years  after  the 
first  settlement  had  secured  a  permanent  footing.  Hence, 
arrogance  and  oppression,  rapacity  and  murder,  early 
became  the  rule  and  occupation  of  the  people. 

The  existence  and  perpetuation  of  slavery  during  more 
than  eight  generations  caused  and  necessitated  an  arrest  of 
progress  in  civilization,  and  the  war  which  resulted  in  the 
emancipation  of  the  slaves  and  the  re-establishment  of  the 
Union,  found  the  whites  in  several  of  the  Southern  States, 
in  many  respects  not  far  in  advance  of  the  people  of  Eng- 
land in  the  sixteenth  century  ;  and  as  those  feudalistic  and 
inharmonious  families — the  descendants  of  the  earliest  set- 
tlers— are  still  recognized  as  "the  first  families,"  the  "aris- 
tocracy of  the  State  " — in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1876,  and 
of  the  Republic  one  hundred — boasting  and  bravado  were 
accomplishments  ostentatiously  displayed  there,  and  often 


88  OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

sustained  by  such  brutal  assault  and  lawless  violence  and 
outrage,  as  those  of  the  worst  days  of  feudalism. 

This  state  of  society  alone  explains  the  temerity  of  the 
threats  and  preparations  for  violence,  and  their  fearful 
consummation,  which  blacken  the  history  of  the  Republic's 
centennial  year. 

While  Robert  Baker  and  his  sons  were  in  Dunn's  grog- 
gery,  informing  their  counsel  respecting  the  particulars  of 
the  suit  he  was  about  to  conduct  for  them,  many  exciting 
scenes  were  transpiring  in  the  vicinity,  and  the  streets  of 
the  doomed  village  were  becoming  lively  with  the  presence 
of    armed   men,  who   were    freely  imbibing  whisky,   and 

threatening  to  "  kill  every nigger  in  Baconsville  that 

day."  Especially  loud  and  frequent  were  the  threats 
against  the  Captain  and  Second  Lieutenant  of  the  militia 
company. 

As  soon  as  half-jjast  three  o'clock,  quite  a  crowd  had 
gathered  around  George  Dunn's  store,  and  the  bar  was  evi- 
dently reaping  the  rich  harvest  Mrs.  D.  had  anticipated  ; 
while  with  loud  and  excessively  revolting  profanity,  the 
case  shortly  to  be  tried  was  canvassed,  and  rumors  of  a 
*'  negro  insurrection  "  rehearsed. 

"  Who  is  that  coming  ?"  asked  one,  as  a  quiet  man  of 
medium  size  approached. 

"  Oh,  that  is  Judge  Kanrasp  of  the  county  seat,  he  is 
a  cursed  Xorthern  Republican,"  was  the  reply,  accompa- 
nied by  a  shocking  oath. 

The  wrathful  eyes  of  the  entire  crowd  were  fi^d  upon 


OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  89 

him  as  he  came  up,  and,  entering  the  store,  approaclied  the 
place  where  the  two  Bakers  sat,  and  addressing  the  Gen- 
eral said,  "  Mr.  Gaston  informed  me  that  you  wished  to  see 
me." 

This  was  not  his  first  interview  with  Mr.  Robert  Baker 
in  connection  with  this  difficulty.  The  latter  had  stopped 
him  that  morning  upon  the  streets  of  the  city  opposite,  to 
speak  of  the  pending  trial. 

The  Judge  had  then  stated  his  opinion  that  Gaston's 
testimony  had  thus  far  developed  no  legal  case  against  the 
colored  men,  and  urged  the  abandonment  of  the  case,  as  to 
push  it  further,  would  merely  excite  ill-feeling  between  the 
two  races  at  a  time  when  it  was  most  undesirable — at  the 
commencement  of  a  political  campaign — and  even  should 
the  plaintiffs  secure  a  judgment,  it  was  a  matter  which 
could  be  appealed,  and  in  a  higher  court  their  case  could 
not  stand  a  moment. 

"  I  shall  do  no  such  thing,"  replied  Mr.  Baker.  "  The 
negroes  of  Baconsville  have  been  very  offensive  ;  they 
have  interfered  with  my  sons,  and  I  am  determined  that 
they  shall  he  punished.  The  case  shcdl  he  prosecxded^  and 
so  far  as  any  feeling  is  concerned,  I  don't  care  for  that. 
Some  of  my  friends  and  neighbors  from  the  country  have 
been  informed  that  the  trial  will  take  place  this  evening, 
and  they  will  be  present,  not  less  than  twenty-five  or  thi'rty 
of  them." 

"  Mr.  Baker,  perhaps  there  will  be  two  or  three  hun- 
iired,"  said  Kanrasp. 


90  OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

*'  Well,  yes  (with  an  oath),  two  or  three  thousand  I "  and 
the  two  men  separated,  and  the  Judge  at  once  crossed  the 
river  to  Baconsville,  and  confidentially  communicated  all 
to  a  discreet  colored  man  there,  in  whose  cool,  quiet  deter- 
mination he  had  great  confidence  ;  commissioning  him  to 
see  the  oflScers  of  the  militia  company,  and  instruct  them 
to  jiresent  themselves  at  the  Court,  submit  to  judgmonl 
whatever  it  might  be,  and  then,  by  an  appeal  to  a  higher 
court,  find  an  easy  way  out  of  the  difficulty  ;  as  the  "  pre- 
cept" or  informal  paper  which  had  been  served  ujion  them, 
must  cause  the  judgment  to  fail  there  ;  and  stating  that  in 
case  of  an  attempted  defense  before  Justice  Rives,  he 
api^reh ended  serious  trouble  from  the  throng  that  would 
undoubtedly  be  present. 

Other  important  business  detained  both  Kanrasp  and 
his  influential  friend  Springer  till  the  middle  of  the  after- 
noon, when,  on  re-entering  the  street,  they  saw  the  village 
thickly  besprinkled  with  squads  of  men  from  the  rifle  clubs 
of  the  vicinity.  These  clubs  or  military  companies  existed 
in  open  defiance  of  law  and  the  Governor's  prohibitive 
proclamation. 

"  This  looks  like  trouble,"  "said  Judge  Kanrasp  to  his 
friend.  "  Strange  way  to  attend  a  simple  trial  I  Xow  go 
right  up  and  see  those  officers  immediately^  and  urge 
them  to  be  on  hand  at  court,  and  stand  judgment."  So 
saying  he  went  to  Marmor's  office  upon  other  business, 
where  Gaston  soon  rode  up,  bringing  Gen.  Baker's  request 
for  the  interview,  to  which  we  find  him  responding. 


OTHER  FOOLS   AXD   THEIR  DOINGS.  91 

*•  I  am  here  to  represent  ray  cousin,  Mr.  Robert  Baker, 
in  this  matter,"  said  the  General,  "and  wish  you,  Mr.  Kan- 
rasp,  to  sit  down  and  tell  mo  what  it  is." 

Judge  K.  complied,  adding  the  advice  he  had  given  his 
clients. 

"  AVe  have  been  annoyed  a  great  deal  by  the  negroes 
about  here,  and  I  am  determined  to  get  satisfaction,  and 
Gen.  Baker  has  been  brought  here  as  my  attorney,  to  see 
that  satisfaction  is  given  us,"  said  Robert  Baker,  in  a  loud 
and  vehement  tone. 

''  Now,  Judge  Kanrasp,"  said  the  General,  "  will  you  not 
go  and  see  those  officers  of  this  company  and  request  them 
to  call  upon  me  ?  I  desire  to  tell  them  what  I  think  is 
necessary  for  them  to  do  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  dif- 
ficulty in  the  future.  A  great  deal  of  feeling  has  been 
growing  between  Mr.  Robert  Baker's  family  and  immedi- 
ate neighbors,  and  these  colored  people  in  Baconsville." 

"  What  proposition  do  you  make  them  ?" 

"  Well,  I  think  it  will  be  necessary  for  them  to  apologize 
to  my  cousin  and  surrender  their  arms." 

As  he  did  not  say  to  whom  their  arms  should  be  sur- 
rendered, the  Judge  replied 

"  Well,  General,  you  know  I  am,  like  yourself,  merely  an 
incident  in  Baconsville;  and  whilst  I  have,  of  course,  a  cer- 
tain amount  of  influence  with  the  colored  people,  on 
account  of  my  political  aflQliations  with  them,  I  cannot 
undertake  to  say  that  they  will  respond  to  your  request.  I 
will  do  what  I  can  to  induce  them  to  do  so.     But  suppose 


92  OTHER   rO()]/,    .  THEIlt  DOINGS. 

these  negotiations  and  propositions  fail,  is  it  likely  that 
that  there  will  be  a  collision?" 

''I  think  there  will." 

"Well,  as  I  am  one  of  a  very  few  white  'radicals' 
here,  if  a  collision  takes  place  I  suppose  I  shall  stand  a 
pretty  poor  chance." 

"I  have  no  doubt  that  you  will." 

Shortly  after  Judge  K.  left  Mr.  Marnior's  office  (which 
adjoined  his  dwelling),  Capt.  Doc,  Lieut.  AVatta,  Mr. 
Springer  and  Rev.  Mr.  Jackson  (the  Legislative  member 
who  had  delivered  the  oration  on  the  4th),  entered.  Mr. 
Jackson  was  much  excited,  and  walked  up  and  down  the 
room,  interlarding  questions  and  ejaculations  and  prayers 
quite  promiscuously;  unheeding  the  kindly  solicitude  of  a 
bright  little  boy  of  live  years,  with  shining  auburn  ringlets, 
and  great,  soft,  spiritual  eyes,  which  looked  eagerly  towards 
"the  Elder's"  face  as  he  went  tugging  a  large  Bible  back 
and  forth  behind  him. 

"  Ha  !  Jackson,  hear  that  boy  now,"  said  Doc.  "  The 
child  is  the  best  Christian  of  the  two,  come  to  the  pinch." 

"What?  What  was  you  saying  Doc?"  asked  the  Rev- 
erend Honorable. 

"  Why,  just  see  what  that  boy  has  got,  and  hear  what 
he's  savinix.  IIo  don't  scare  worth  a  cent.  Do  you  Bub  ? 
You'll  make  a  soldier  some  day,  won't  you  ?" 

"  Ko  sir,  I  reckon  I  won't,  cause  soldiers  kill.  '  Thou 
shalt  not  kill.'     Tliat's  the  sixth  commandment." 

"  What  about  the  book,  sonnv,  asked  Elder  Jackson. 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  93 

"My  Sunday  school  teaclier  says  wlien  I'm  afraid,  I 
must  ask  God  what  to  do;  and  tliis  is  His  letter,  He  wrote 
it.  It's  big,"  tugging  to  raise  it  to  the  level  of  the  man's 
hand. 

The  Elder  took  the  Bible,  sat  down,  drew  the  child  to 
his  side,  oi-)ened  it  at  random,  and  read,  Isaiah  xviii  :  7  : 
'•In  that  time  shall  the  present  be  brought  unto  the  Lord  of 
hosts  of  a  people  scattered  and  peeled,  and  from  a  people 
terrible  from  their  beginning  liitherto;  a  nation  meted 'out 
and  trodden  under  foot,  whose  laud  the  rivers  have  spoiled, 
to  the  place  of  the  name  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  Mount 
Zion." 

He  closed  the  book  muttering,  "  Yes,  the  freshet  came 
clear  up  to  the  church,  clear  up  to  the  church." 

"The  whole  matter  is  that  the  Bakers  are  determined  to 
break  up  this  drilling,"  said  Marmor.  "  You're  too  good  a 
drill  master.  Doc.  The  old  man  himself  told  me  that  it  was 
wrong,  and  that  the  niggers  shouldn't  have  no  militia  com- 
pau}',  and  that  it  was  wrong  for  you  to  drill  by  moonlight. 
I  told  him  that  the  white  militia  over  here  in  Georo-ia 
drilled  on  the  streets  every  night.  'Well,  it's  wrong  for  the 
niggers  to  drill  at  all^  says  he." 

"Well,  now,  it  does  'pear  to  me  like  the  white  folks  is  de- 
termined to  put  the  devil  into  the  colored  people's  heads 
anyhow.  Xow.  we're  honest  in  this  m.atter,  and  only  want 
to  have  a  nice  militia  company  like  the  white  folks  does, 
and  like  free  citizens  has  got  a  right  to,  and  to  protect  the 
State  when  it  needs  it  and  the  Governor  calls  for  us;  but 


94        OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS. 

they  just  goes  to  work,  and  by  talking  about  what  they 
pretend  the  colored  jDeople  is  a  going,  or  intending  to  do, 
they  just  makes  the  colored  people  mad,  and  puts  these  bad 
ideas  into  their  heads,  and  by-and-by  the  colored  people, 
maybe  will  get  courage  enough  to  undertake  to  do.  as  they 
is  really  instructing  us  to  do.  And  then  there's  more'n 
that  in  it  too.  Mor'ntwo  months  ago  Hanson  Baker  tole  me 
and  John  Peters,  Press  Wells,  and  John  Bade,  and  if  I  mis- 
take not,  Lem  Panesly,  that  the  Democrats  had  made  it  up 
in  their  own  minds,  and  they  had  gone  over  the  State,  and 
also  had  about  thirty  men  from  Texas  and  Mississippi  to 
come  into  this  State,  and  they  were  feeding  them,  and  or- 
ganizing all  the  white  men  into  certain  different  clubs;  and 
before  election  that  there  had  to  be  a  certain  number  of 
negroes  killed — leading  men;  and  if  after  that  they  found 
out  they  couldn't  carry  the  State  that  way,  they  was 
gwoinc  to  kill  enough  so  that  they  could  carry  the  major- 
ity. He  said  it  is  a  fact  that  that  has  to  be  done,  and  he 
said  in  the  presence  of  these  men,  that  it  had  to  start  right 
here  in  Baconsville.  He  said  Baconsville  is  the  leading 
place  in  the  county  (for  the  niggers,  you  know),  and  if 
they  could  be  successful  in  killing  them  that  they  wanted 
to  in  Baconsville,  they  could  carry  the  county;  but  the 
same  has  to  be  done  in  all  the  counties,  that  there  was  no 
way  to  prevent  it.  I  told  him  we  had  some  laws,  and  a 
Governor  and  a  President  He  says  he  didn't  belong  to 
none  o'  the  clubs,  and  hadn't  nothing  to  do  with  it,  but  it 
would  be    done,  shor.     I  says,  '  Suppose    the  colored  men 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS.        95 

liave  ;i   poll   to   tlieraselves,  and  the  white  men   to  them- 
selves,' and  he  said,  'It  don't  make  a  bito'  difference  what 
sort    o'  polls  tlioy  have;  it  is  the  voting  Ave  want  to  stop; 
and  these  voting  niggers  has  got  to  be  killed.     The  white 
men    lias  declared  that    the  State  has  got  to  be  ruled  by 
white  men  again,  and  we  have  got  to  have  just  such  a  gov- 
ernment as  we  had  before  the  war;  and  when  we  git  it,  all 
the  poor  men  and  the  niggers  has  got  to  be  disfranchised, 
and  the  rich  men  will  rule!  And  he  tole  me  then  that  our 
town  marshal,  John  Carr  and  Dan  will  certainly  be  killed. 
I  asked  why?  and  he  said  there  was  plenty  of  men   that 
had  plenty  against  them,  and  they  would  kill  them  shor. 
Says    I,  '31r.  Baker  will  I  be  in   that  number?'  he  says, 
'  No,  I  don't  know  whether  yo'r  name  is  down  or  no,  but  it 
depends  on  how  yo'  behave  yo'self.'     He'd  been  drinkino- 
some,  or  he  wouldn't  ha'  been  so  free  to  tell.     Well,  then  I 
received  a  note  the  other  day— a  letter  with  my  name,  and 
specifying  a  dozen  or  more  in  this  neighborhood  that  have 
to  be  killed;  and  Iioas  shor  to  be  killed.     Now,  this  is  the 
beginning  of  it  shor.     They  want  to  disband  this  company 
so  that  the  Governor  won't  have  nothing  to  call  on  to  put 
them  down,  and  we  can't  get  no  protection  till  the  United 
States  can  send  soldiers  from  somewhere,  after  we  can  get 
word  to  the   Governor,  and  he  can  git  it  to  Grant.     They 
must   think  we're  just  cowards  and  fools  if  we'll  let  'em 
break  us  up,  though  I'll  agree  that  the  men  ha'n't  got  much 
fight  in  'em,  but  I  have,  and  I  wish  Mey  had,"  and  Captain 
Doc  tossed  a  newspaper  to  the  extreme  end  of  the  room. 


96  OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

"Scattered  aiul  peeledl"  "Scattered  and  peeled!"  said 
the  Elder,  as  he  resumed  his  striding  about  the  apartment. 

Wliile  these  excited  men  thus  conversed,  there  Avere 
borne  from  the  street  to  their  ears  the  sound  of  blood-curd- 
lincr  oaths,  and  sliouts  of  "AVe'll  carry  the  State  about  the 
time  M'e've  killed  four  or  five  hundred  of  these  niggers 
and  their  carpet-bag  cronies."  'We've  got  to  have  South 
Carolina."  "The  white  men  have  got  to  rule."  "This  shall 
be  a  white  man's  c^ovcrnment  ai^ain." 

"Just  hear  that  chap  singing,"  said  Marraor  with  a  ghastly 
smile: 

"We're  SToinar  to  redeem  South  Carolina  to-day.  This 
is  the  beginning  of  the  redemption  of  my  Caroline."  The 
poor,  maudlin  fellow  sat  upon  his  horse  near  Ihe  corner  of 
the  street  hard  by,  and  improvised  a  lengthy  political 
madrigal  evidently  to  his  own  exquisite  delight. 

"I  reckon 3'ou'ye  got  the  right  of  it  Doc,"  said  Marmor; 
"the  political  side  of  this  fuss  swallows  up  all  the  rest. 
The  fuss  on  the  Fourth,  was  only  got  up  for  making  a  spot 
to  strike  at." 

"  AYell,"  said  Doe,  both  goes  together;  for  all  the  politics 
they  know  is  to  put  the  niggers  down,  and  themselves  np 
atop:  and  they  are  trying  to  fool  the  ignorant  ones  into 
believing  that  the  constitutions  has  all  run  out,  so  they 
won't  try  to  take  the  law  on  'em." 

"They'd  better  look  out,  or  they  may  feel  the  law 
themselves.  If  Chamberlain  can't  enforce  it,  there  is  a 
United  States,  they'll  find!" 


OTHER  FOOLS  AXD   THEIR   DOINGS.  9T 

"I  reckon  so!  I  reckon  so!"  chimed  in  all  present. 
"Capt.  Doc,"  said  Elder  Jackson,  "you  must  remember 
that  it  is  not  your  own  life  and  your  company's  lives  that 
is  in  danger,  but  that  of  every  colored  individual  in  town;  and 
the  happiness  and  prosperity  of  all  will  be  at  their  mercy 
if  a  fight  takes  place;  and  so  I  beg  you  to  come  to  terms 
with  Baker.  Bend  and  apologize  a  little  for  the  sake  of 
them  that  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  Fourth  of  July  diffi- 
culty." 

"What  can /do?  Just  tell  me.  I  haven't  failed  to  think 
of  that,  I  tell  you.  That  part  of  it  is  the  biggest  trouble 
to  me  now." 

"It  is  Watt  a  that  has  offended  them  the  most,"  said 
Springer;  "for  he  got  so  mad  last  Thursday.  He's  got  too 
much  whife  blood  in  him  to  stand  their  abuse,  and  he  was 
nigh  about  as  abusive  as  Hanson  Baker  himself,  that  day. 
It  was  all  true  enough  what  he  said,  but  that  didn't 
make  it  no  better  for  them  to  take." 

"Now,  BrptherWatta,  just  you  go,  as  you  know  you 
ought  to,  and  acknowledge  you  ought  to  have  kept  your 
temper,  and  that'll  make  the  whole  thing  right,  and  Doc'll 
apologize  too,"  said  the  apparently  confiding  Elder. 

"  Do  you  think  so?  Well,  suppose  you  come  along  with 
us,"  said  Watta,  a  slight  veil  of  credulity  scarcely  con. 
cealing  a  sarcasm  that  bordered  upon  contempt  for  the 
Relf-loving  simplicity  of  the  Elder.  "  I'.l  rather  get  on  my 
knees  to  them,"  he  added  more  seriously,  "bad  as  I  hate 
them,  than   have  my  wife    and    children  as  scared   as  they 


98  OTHER  FOOLS   ATsT)   THEIR  DOIXGS. 

are  to-day.  But  I  doubt  the  success  of  even  that,  unless  I 
would  give  them  my  gun,  and  promise  to  lie  there,  and  let 
them  kick  me  when  they  chose,  or  shoot  me  if  they  like, 
and  I'm  afraid  my  temper  Avould  rise  then,  if  I  didn't." 

In  defiance  of  fears,  the  men  all  laughed  at  the  ludicrous 
picture  of  this  tall,  genteel-appearing,  light  yellow  r/entle- 
7na7i,  brimful  of  the  same  *'  spirit "  that  fired  some  of  the 
noblest  heroes  the  South  ever  boasted  of,  and  in  whose 
veins  coursed  much  of  the  same  ancestral  blood,  crincring 
in  such  a  pusillanimous  fashion. 

"  It  is  no  time  for  fun,"  said  Springer.  "  Will  you  go 
with  me  J  Adam  Watta,  and  see  General  Baker?" 

"  If  you  say  you  think  it'll  do  any  good,  I  will  go." 

"  You  can  but  perish  if  you  go,"  said  Elder  Jackson, 
who  was,  like  many  another,  very  courageous  for  his  neigh- 
bors, and  quite  willing  to  bid  them  Godspeed  in  any  efforts 
for  the  safety  of  the  town,  including  Elder  J.  and  his  pos- 
sessions. 

But  the  men  paused  in  the  doorway.  "  Ask  a  man  to 
run  the  gauntlet  of  all  those  armed  and  half-drunken  ene- 
mies? I  tell  you  I  can't  do  it;  I'm  not  prepared  to  die,  and 
I  sha'n't  go.  I  conldi  fight ,  but  to  go  right  into  a  crowd  to 
be  murdered,  I'm  not  ready,"  and  Watta  turned  back. 
Looking  out  upon  the  constantly  increasing  mob,  Springer 
did  not  urge  him. 

"  I'm  going  to  Prince  Rives's  house,"  said  Doc,  and  strode 
out  of  the  office  and  down  the  street. 

The  cry  of  an  infant  was  heard   in   an  adjoining  room. 


OTHER  FOOLS  AXD  THETR  DOINGS.  99 

followed  by  the  sound  of  a  rocking  cradle,  and  the  voice 
of  the  little  boy  singing  in  chanting  style,  '*  You  must  not 
cry,  little  sister;  for  the  wicked  men  is  all  agoing  around 
to  kill  all  the  little  children,  '  from  two  years  old  and  un- 
der,' and  they  will  shoot  your  papa,  and  make  your  mam- 
ma cry.     So  take  this  rattle  and  be  still." 

"Louie,"  called  Marmor,  from  the  office.  "Don't  say 
such  things.  Xobody'll  hurt  yon,  nor  the  baby.  Where 
is  your  mamma?" 

**  She  is  here  crying — sitting  right  here  crying." 
"  The  man  arose  quickly,  and  entered  the  room.     "  Why, 
Jane,"  said  he,  "  what  are  you  crying  about  ?     It  will  be 
all  settled,  and  there'll  be  no  fuss. " 

"  Don't  you  wish  you  could  make  me  believe  that,  when 
you  know  you  don't  believe  it  yourself?  I  do  wish  you 
would  go  away  over  to  the  city,  and  take  the  train  some- 
where. I  know  they  will  be  after  you.  You  know  they 
want  you  killed,  because  you  are  a  radical  leader;  and  now 
will  be  their  time." 

"Do  you  suppose  I- would  go  and  leave  you  and  the 
children?" 

"  You  know  you  couldn't  defend  us,  and  we  don't  need 
it.  We're  a  great  deal  safer  w^ithout  you  than  with  you. 
I  should  fret  all  the  time  for  fear  that  you  had  fallen  into 
their  hands,  to  be  sure;  but  I  know  there  is  no  chance  for 
you  to  escape  death  if  you  stay  here." 

Marmor  returned  to  his  office,  and  found  that  his  friends 
had   all    left.     He   saw  them  approaching  Rives's   house. 


100  OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

TLere  tliey  found  Captain  Doc  and  the  Trial  Justice  in 
earhest  conversation. 

"  I  can't  appear  before  your  court,  Judge  Rives — not  to- 
day," said  the  captain;  "  for  I  feel  that  your  court  is  un- 
able to  protect  iny  life,  and  I  believe  my  life  is  unsafe.  1 
am  willing  that  yo'  should  go  to  work  and  draw  up  a  bond, 
that  yo'  think  proper,  and  I  am  willing  to  give  bonds  to  a 
higher  court,  where  I  think  my  life  will  be  safe.  The  rea- 
son I  come  to  yo'  to  tell  yo',  is  because  I  don't  want  yo'  to 
suppose  that  I  treat  yo'r  court  with  no  disrespect  by  not 
coming;  but  it  is  because  I  don't  think  my  life  is  safe." 

The  Justice  reflected. 

"Well,  you  must  use  your  own  judgment,"  said  he.  "Of 
course,  if  your  life  is  unsafe,  and  if  these  men  intend  to 
take  your  life,  of  course,  I  can't  protect  you.  I  haven't 
protection  enough  to  protect  you  ;  my  constables  can't  do 
much  I" 

"That  is  my  belief,"  replied  Doc,  "and  for  that  reason 
I  don't  want  to  go  befo'  yo'r  court  without  yo'  force  me 
to  ;  and  then  if  I  am  killed,  yo'  will  be  responsible." 

"  You  can  use  your  own  judgment.  Captain.  I  shall  go 
to  court  at  the  proper  time.  Your  name,  of  course,  will 
be  called,  and  if  you  don't  answer  to  your  name — well,  you 
woii't  he  there  to  answer.  It's  a  pity  but  this  thing  couldn't 
be  settled  without  going  to  court.  I'm  afraid  once  at  the 
court  room  it  will  be  impossible  to  get  along  without 
trouble." 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  101 

"Well,  I  want  it  settled,"  said  Doc.  "And  I,"  "And  I," 
said  the  two  Lieutenants. 

"  Well,  then,  suppose  I  go  for  you,  and  ask  what  will 
give  satisfaction,''  said  Springer. 

"  All  right,"  was  the  ready  response  from  all. 

Mr.  Springer  met  Judge  Kanrasp  coming  down  the 
street,  from  his  interview  with  the  General,  and  each  com- 
municated the  message  ho  bore,  and  thought  the  best  thing 
for  the  safety  of  the  town,  was  to  get  the  parties  together 
with  the  crowd  excluded. 

"  Who  is  to  take  the  guns  ?"  asked  Mr.  Springer. 

"I  don't  know.  The  Governor,  I  suppose.  If  not,  that 
may  alter  the  case." 

"If  Gen.  Baker  will  guarantee  the  safety  of  the  men,  I 
believe  they  will  be  safe,  but  he  should  guarantee  the 
safety  of  the  town  also." 

"  So  say  I,"  replied  Judge  Kanrasp,  and  each  passed  on 
his  errand. 

Judge  K.  reported  to  the  officers  only  Gen.  Baker's 
request  for  an  interview,  and  withheld  his  proposition  for 
a  settlement. 

Soon  Mf.  Springer  returned  with  the  same  request  from 
the  General.  They  all  approached  the  door,  and  Doc  went 
out  upon  the  street,  but  re-entered  immediately, 

"  There  is  no  one  more  readier  than  I  am  to  settle,  but  I 
see  a  great  crowd  down  there  at  Dunn's  store,  all  armed, 
and  drunk,  or  playing  off  drunk.  Springer,  yo'  tell  Gen- 
Baker  that  I  would  meet  him,  but  that  I  would  like  for 


102  OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS. 

him  to  come  away  from  where  them  men  are,  and  that  I  am 
willing  to  meet  him  at  yo'r  house,  if  that  is  agreeable." 

The  asjDect  of  things  became  more  gloomy  very  soon. 
A  company  of  twenty-five  or  thirty  thoroughly-armed 
and  mounted  men  had  entered  the  village  some  time  be- 
fore, since  which  squads  had  been  seen  coming  in  from  all 
directions. 

Several  leading  citizens  had  joined  the  group  at  Rives's 
house,  and  all  united  in  urging  the  ofiicers  to  comply  with 
Gen.  Baker's  request;  but  they  were  more  and  more  reluc- 
tant to  go,  fearing  it  was  only  a  ruse  to  decoy  them  there, 
secure,  disarm,  and  then  murder  them. 

The  suspicion  was  but  natural,  as  similar  transactions 
had  been  far  from  rare  since  reconstruction.  At  length, 
after  it  had  been  reported  that  Gen.  Baker  had  sworn  to 
lay  the  town  in  ashes  if  they  did  not  comply  with  his  de- 
mands, all  the  members  of  the  company  again  consented 
to  go.  but  on  approaching  the  door,  fell  back  again. 

"You  must  go  to  save  the  town,"  said  Springer;  "but 
don't  take  your  guns." 

"We  won't  go  without  them,"  said  all  the  men. 

"But  he'll  make  a  demand  for  their  surrender.  Better 
leave  them  behind." 

"Yes,  that  is  just  it,"  said  Watta.  "You  men  have  been 
keeping  that  back.  Why  should  we  go  to  General  Baker? 
Why  doesn't  he  come  to  us  if  he  wants  to  see  us?  There 
are  no  drunken  rowdies  here  for  him  to  fear.  Two  men 
drove  into  our  ranks,  an  organized  a  legally  chartered  com- 


OTHER   FOOLS   AND    THEIR  DOIXGS.  103 

pany  of  the  State  militia,  with  loyal  guns  in  our  loyal 
hands,  and  a  flag  which  brought  us  freedom  from  these  old 
masters — the  right  to  stand  up  like  men,  and  not  fear  their 
nigger-catching  bloodhounds  ;  and  we  have  sworn  to  be 
true  to  that  flag —  to  the  United  States,  and  to  the  State, 
and  ourselves,  and  to  take  care  of  these  guns  that  belong 
to  the  State,  and  to  yield  them  up  only  to  lawful  authority. 
These  two  nigger-catchers  whose  occupation  is  gone,  drove 
into  our  ranks;  and  we,  like  a  set  of  cowards,  opened  ranks 
and  let  them  go  through;  and  now  they  bring  this  ex-con- 
federate General,  who  got  the  only  title  he  has  and  of 
which  he  and  they  are  so  proud,  in  fighting  the  United 
States;  they  bring  this  General  Baker  here,  and  he  asks  us 
to  go  down  to  old  Baker's  feet  and  apologize — for  what  ? 
/  don't  know;  and  to  give  uj)  our  guns  that  we  have 
sworn  to  protect  from  all  enemies  of  the  Union,  and  all 
unauthorized  persons — to  give  them  to  this  ex-confederate 
General,  who  boasts  to-day,  and  is  applauded  by  these,  his 
old  confederate  soldiers  around  him  to-day,  for  what  he 
did  against  the  Government.  He,  surrounded  by  those  who 
love  and  revere  him  for  what  he  did  to  destroy  the  Union 
and  keep  us  and  our  jDarents  and  children  in  slavery — he  de- 
mands our  guns  and  ourselves!  Pretty  Kational  Guards! ! 
Which  are  we,  men,  cowards  or  traitors?" 

"Don't  take  your  guns,  and  may  be  possible  you  can  get 
along  without  giving  the  guns  up.  I  surely  don't  want 
you  to  be  traitors,"  said  the  Elder;  "but  I  trust  an  apology 
will  do." 


104:  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOIXGS. 

"And  I  trust  no  such  thing,"  said  Doc.  ''And  where 
shall  we  be  after  this,  living  or  dead?  It  won't  make  much 
difference.  They  want  to  "break  us  up  I  that's  it — and  en- 
slave us!" 

"Where  shall  we  be  ?  On  our  knees  forever  at  their 
feet,"  re23lied  Watta;  "that  is,  if  a  single  man  of  us  ever 
got  away  alive,  which  I'll  warrant  we  never  should  if  we 
refused  to  give  up  our  guns." 

"But  remember,  there'll  be  bloodshed  if  you  don't  go," 
said  Elder  Jackson.  "  Better  humble  yourselves  than  be 
killed." 

"  And  remember,  too,  the  women  and  children,  and  the 
property,"  added  Springer. 

"You  men  is  mighty  thoughtful;  suppose  yo'  'go  yo'- 
selves.  'Tv\-ouldn't  be  no  blood  shed  if  they  got  killed,  I 
reckon  yo'  think,"  said  a  man  from  the  ranks. 

They  had  retired  to  an  upper  room,  and  Kanrasp  ap- 
proached a  window  looking  towards  Dunn's  store.  Doc 
followed,  and  then  Watta,  and  then  others. 

Still  more  armed  men  were  seen  coming  into  the  to^m, 
and  the  mob  around  the  General's  headquarters  was  more 
dense  and  disorderly. 

"  You  all  know  that  it  would  be  only  my  dead  body  that 
would  ever  leave  that  place,  if  I  went  there,"  said  Watta. 
"  I  should  be  riddled  with  bullets  in  no  time.  Those  men 
standing  outside  of  that  groggery  are  thirsting  for  my 
blood  this  minute." 

"  I  have  known  Gen.  Baker  for  several   years,  and  I  be- 


But  I  *  AM  o^'LY  A  Nigger,'  (baking  his  yellow  arm 
TO  HIS  ELBOW.)"— Page  105. 


OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR   DOINGS.  105 

lieve  he  is  au   honorable    man,  and  he    will   protect    you," 

said  Judge  K . 

"An  honorable  man?''  repeated  Watta.  "  '  An  lionorable 
man'  he  may  be  when  dealing  with  those  he  acknowledges 
his  equals,  if  there  are  any  such;  but  I  am  'only  a  nigger' 
(baring  his  yellow  arm  to  his  elbow).  "Honor?  He'll 
ventilate  uo  honor  when  a  nigger  or  politics  is  concerned. 
T  don't  mean  any  disrespect  to  you,  Judge;  but  Gen.  Baker 
doesn't  hold  the  same  views  about  colored  people  that,  you 
do,  as  you  know." 

"  Well,  I'm  going,"  said  the  First  Lieutenant,  "  and  I 
talked  as  bad  as  any  of  you  on  the  Fourth.  I'll  apologize." 
"  But  they  hate  me  more  than  all  the  rest  of  you,''  re- 
sumed Watta,  still  inspecting  his  bare  arm.  "I'm  nearer 
their  color,  and  the  best  thing  they  can  say  of  a  man  uf  my 
complexion  is  that  he's  a  smart  fellow,  but  needs  watching.' 
And  they  do  watch  us,  and  they  magnify  everything  we 
do  or  say,  and  misconstrue  it,  and  lie  about  us.  And  then 
you  know  I'm  that  heinous  oITender — a  'nigger  school 
teacher,  and  a  Republican  newspaper  correspondent.'  Why, 
Gen.  Baker  cant  protect  me.  I  should  be  shot  a  dozen 
times  before  he  knew  I  was  coming.  And  then  he'd  regret 
it.  That  wouldn't  do  me  mucli  good,  nor  my  family.  I 
tell  you  it  is  only  a  trap,  a  decoy,  to  get  us  up  there  and 
massacre  us.  If  they  kill  me,  they  must  come  after  mc, 
I  a'n't    fool  enough  to  go  to  them  to  get  shot." 

"If  the  General  could  get  shet  of  them  armed  men,  would 
you  go?"  asked  Springer. 


106  OTHER  FOOLS  AXD   THEIR  DOINGS. 

*' Yes,  certainly." 

"Then,  I'll  try  if  he  will  go  to  my  house,"  and  he  slipped 
cautiously  out  of  the  dwelling,  for  the  whites  thought  the 
officers  were  in  the  Armory,  and  he  did  not  wish  to  unde- 
ceive them. 

He  was  successful  on  his  mission,  and  soon  returned;  but 
the  officers  had  seen  the  shouting  throng  surround  and  fol- 
low their  General,  and  as  the  streets  were  rife  with  warlike 
menaces,  all  now  utterly  refused  to  go  to  a  house  so  near 
Dunn's  store  and  the  main  crowd. 

*'See!  see!"  they  exclaimed.  "  They  are  coming  down 
the  street  to  meet  us!  Gen.  Baker  can't  protect  us!"  All 
of  which  Springer  could  not  dispute,  so  he  sadly  returned 
to  Gen.  Baker,  who,  on  his  approaching,  called  out: 

"  I  suppose  you  couldn't  get  those  fellows  to  meet 
me?" 

"  No,  General,  they  are  too  afraid  of  these  armed  bodies 
of  men  you  have  around  you.     That  is  the  only  reason." 

"  Armed  men?  armed  men?  I  don't  see  any  armed  men!" 
and  that  military  dignitary  rolled  his  eyes  about  as  if  in 
pantomime.    '^Well  Sam,  there's  no  use  parleying  any  longer. 

Now,  by 1  want  those  guns,  and  I'll  be if  I  don't 

have  them!" 

A  movement  of  expectancy  swayed  the  throng  as  these 
words  were  heard  and  passed  from  lip  to  lip,  and  then  a 
shout  rent  the  air. 

Mr.  Springer  wended  his  way  back  through  the  crowd  of 
men  on  horseback,  and  men  on  foot,  whose  fingers  fidgeted 


OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  107 

upon  the  triggers  of  their  firearms,  and  he  sought  the 
house  of  Justice  Rives  with  a  heavier  heart  than  he  had 
ever  borne  before;  while  General  Baker  entered  his  car- 
riage again,  as  the  hour  for  court  drew  near. 


108  OTHER  FOOLS  A^'D  THEIH  DOCsGS. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

POKTEXTIOUS      DAEKXESS. 

"  Ye  gods,  it  dotli  amaze  me! 
A  man  of  such  feeble  temper  should 
So  get  the  start  of  the  majestic  world." 

— Casca. 

A  small,  dark  man,  with  a  lithe  form  and  sparkling  eyes, 
had  been  busy  preparing  Justice  Rives's  oflSce  for  the  ex- 
pected court,  as  he  had  been  previously  directed,  and  was 
unaware  of  the  excitement  prevailing  in  other  parts  of  the 
village.  His  task  completed,  he  seated  himself  in  an  arm- 
chair, adjusted  his  feet  high  upon  the  post  of  the  open 
door,  and  with  his  coat  off  and  fan  in  hand,  sat  leisurely 
reading. 

About  half  past  three  o'clock  he  was  startled  by  an  im- 
perative voice,  asking,  "  Where  is  Rives?" 

On  looking  up  from  his  newspaper,  he  saw  Robert  Baker 
and  his  legal  counsel  seated  in  the  latter's  carriage,  which 
stood  before  the  door. 

"^[i-.  Rives  is  at  his  house,  I  reckon;  but  he'll  be  here 
directly,"  was  the  reply. 

''  Go  and  tell  him  to  come  here  to  me,"  commanded  the 
Gcnernl. 

'*  I'm  not  Mr.  Rives's  office-boy.  I  am  a  constable,  and  am 
here  attending  to   my  business.     He  told  m.e   he  would  be 


OTHER  FOOLS   AXD   THEIK  DOIXGS.  109 

here  by  four  o'clock,  aud   he  won't  come    any  quicker  by 
my  going  after  him." 

General  B. — "  Do  you  know  who  you  are  talking  to?" 

Constable  Xewton.— "  Fm  talking  to  General  Baker,  I 
believe." 

Gen.  B. — "Well,  you  scamp!  bring  rao  some  paper 
here." 

Xewton.— "  Here  is  the  office,  and  here  is  the  chairs,  and 
here  is  the  paper,  and  pen  and  ink,  sir;  and  here  is  the 
chairs  for  all  the  attorneys  that  wants  to  do  business  here 
to  come  in  and  sit  down." 

Gen.  B  (with  an  oath). — "  Bring  it  to  me,  sir!" 

Newton.— "I  won't  do  it.  Come  in,  sir,  and  sit  at  the 
table." 

The  irate  General  sprang  from  his  carriage,  and,  followed 
by  the  ever-ready  Gaston,  rushed  into  the  court  room  in  a 
menacing  manner.  But  the  imperturbable  constable  did  not 
move,  nor  show  signs  of  disturbance. 

Gen.  B.  (with  a  vile  epithet  and  oaths,  which  the  reader 
should  imagine,  thickly  strewn  throughout  this  colloquy).— 
"Give  me  that  chair!" 

Xewton.  — "  There  is  a  chair." 

General  B  thundered.—''  Give  me  that  chair  you  are 
sitting  on!  Get  out  of  tliat  chair,  and  give  it  to  me!  I 
want  this  chair  and  intend  to  have  it!" 

"All  right,"  replied  Xewton,  after  a  pause;  "if  this 
chair  suits  you  better  than  the  others,  take  it," 


110  OTHER  FOOLS   A^'D  THEIR  DOINGS. 

Gen.  B. — "You  leatberhead  radical!     You  sitting 

down  there  fanning  yourself  I" 

Kewton. — "I  am  fanning  myself,  sitting  in  my  own 
office,  and  attending  to  my  own  business." 

Gen.  B. — "You  vile  brute,  youl  You  want  to  have  a 
bullet-hole  put  through  you  before  yon  can  move!" 

At  this  juncture  old  man  Baker  and  one  of  his  followers, 
pistols  in  hand,  reinforced  the  General,  and  Tommy  rode 
as  close  to  the  door  as  possible,  with  his  trusty  carbine, 
w^hile  others  appeared  outside. 

Newton  arose,  and  taking  his  chair  by  the  back,  turned 
the  seat  of  it  toward  General  Baker,  and,  still  holding  the 
back  with  both  hands,  said: 

"There  it  is,  Gen.  Baker,  if  you  want  it;  and  you  can 
shoot  me,  if  you  want  to.  Mr.  Robert  Baker,  you  know 
what  sort  of  a  man  I  am.  I  have  always  tried  to  behave 
myself  when  you  came  in  the  office." 

Robert  B. — "Yes,  but "  (with  an  oath)  "  this  drilling  haa 
got  to  stop.     I  want  you  to  go  for  Rives." 

Newton. — "  I've  got  no  right  to  go  for  Rives,  and  I'm 
not  going." 

Robert  B. — "  Well  you'll  be  a  dead  man,  and  you'll 
wish  you  had  gone." 

Newton. — "I  am  but  one  man." 

Gen.  B.  (with  oaths  and  sneers  of  contempt). — "  Sitting 
down  there  with  your  feet  cocked  up!" 

Newton. — "Well,  General,  I'm  not  dead;  but  if  you're 
going  to  kill  me,  why  kill  me;  and  that  is  all  you  can  do." 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  Ill 

Gen.  B. — "  We'll  take  our  time  about  that.  We'll  show 
you,  you  insolent  darkie! — you  contemptible  nigger!" 

The  Bakers  returned  to  their  carriages  in  high  dudgeon. 

"  There  is  Justice  Rives'  private  secretary,"  said  the  old 
man,  as  they  were  about  leaving  the  premises.  "  If  you 
will  speak  to  him,  I  think  he  will  go  for  Rives." 

"  Xo,"  replied  the  incensed  General,  "  I  am  not  going  to 
be  insulted  again.     You  can  do  so  if  you  choose." 

Robert  Baker  did  choose,  for  he  preferred  to  reserve  re- 
sentment, rather  than  allow  it  to  thwart  or  hinder  his 
purposes.  Gaston,  however,  *  halted  '  the  secretary,  and 
undertook  the  mission  himself. 

Can  the  reader  imagine  the  scene  in  that  upper  room  in 
Rives'  house,  when  a  female  servant  announced  that  Gas- 
ton was  at  the  door  below,  urging  the  presence  of  Judge 
Rives  at  the  court-room,  as  Gen.  Baker  and  his  clients 
were  waiting  there  ;  though  the  hour  had  not  yet  arrived? 

Noiselessly  the  entire  group  descended  to  the  ground 
floor,  and,  screened  from  view,  listened  breathlessly  to  the 
collocution  which,  however,  was  brief  and  courteous,  as 
the  young  man  naturally  wished  to  conciliate  the  favor  of 
the  Judge.  He  was  dismissed  with  the  assurance  that  the 
court  should  be  opened  promptly. 

Prince  Rives  (the  Judge's  baptismal  name  was  Prince — 
it  might  seem  sacrilege  to  designate  a  name  given  in 
slavery  as  "  Christian  ")  stepped  quietly  into  his  sitting- 
room — a  perfect  bower  of  flowers,  ferns  growing  under 
glass,    and    singing-birds,     where    his    wife    and    eldest 


112  OTHER  FOOLS   A^^D   THEIR  DOIXGS. 

daughter  were  anxiously  watching  the  crowd  gathering  in 
the  streets. 

"I'm  iroincf  down  to  the  ofiBce  now,"  said  he,  "and  if 
any  trouble  should  occur,  stay  right  here  in  the  house,  and 
keep  the  children  in,  and  you  will  all  be  safe.'' 

Alas  !  these  were  assurances  false  even  to  the  heart  of 
him  who  made  them. 

Has  tlie  reader  ever  laid  a  kiss  upon  a  loved  one's  brow, 
and  then  watched  the  dear  form  passing  beyond  recall, 
perhaps,  (oh,  that  terrible  perhaps!)  if  returning  at  all,  to 
come  a  lifeless  thing — an  uninhabited  tenement — or  in 
agony  and  blood  ;  while  the  ever  active  imagination 
chafed  and  chid  the  hands  and  feet  that  fain  would  do  its 
bidding  and  follow  that  loved  form,  though  duty  fettered 
them  to  inactivity  ? 

Or  has  he  gone  out  under  the  benediction  of  love,  to 
meet  a  hate  that  might  hold  him  in  its  deadly  grasp,  for- 
bidding his  return  ? 

To  such  we  need  not  describe  the  adieus  exchanged  in 
that  little  sitting-room  ;  for  the  sweet  influences  of  love 
take  no  cognizance  of  complexion. 

Trial  Justice  Prince  Rives  soon  issued  from  the  front 
door  of  his  house,  book  in  hand,  erect  and  commanding, 
looking  the  true  ideal  African  General  as  he  was,  and 
walked  leisurely  up  the  street,  unattended,  and  apparently 
unarmed  ;  as  if  to  show  the  mob  that  at  least  one  negro 
was  not  afraid. 

Tall,  straight,  powerful,   his   black  and    shining  visage 


OTHER  FOOLS   AXD   THEIR  DOIXGS.  113 

perfectly  calm,  lie  strode  through  the  throng  of  armed  and 
angry  men  that  surrounded  the  door  of  his  office,  and 
crowded  the  court-room. 

Kanrasp  and  Springer  followed  at  some  distance  to  Avit- 
ness  should  any  disturbance  arise  ;  and  while  attention  was 
thus  attracted  towards  the  court-room,  the  officers  all  made 
their  way  to  the  armory,  whither  many  other  members  of 
the  Company  and  other  citizens  had  already  hastened  for 
safety  behind  its  strong  walls,  doors  and  window-shutters. 
Women  and  children  fled  across  the  lontr  bridge  to  the 
city,  or  to  the  surrounding  country;  though  many  remained 
to  guard  their  small  possessions,  and  share  the  fate  of  hus- 
bands and  fathers,  should,  the  worst  come. 

Armed  men  were  still  coming  in,  and  yet  more  rapidly, 
and  the  sinking  sun  heralded  a  brief,  southern  twilight  and 
a  moonless  night  ;  while  a  great  terror  took  possession  of 
the  inhabitants  of  the  doomed  villao-e. 

A  few  straggling  members  of  the  Company  appearing 
with  their  guns,  which  they  had  formerly  taken  to  their 
homes  for  cleaning,  became  the  unfortunate  subjects  of  a 
hue  and  cry  as  they  hurried  along  towards  the  rendezvous, 
and  were  marked  for  the  niglit's  barbarities. 

No  small  exhibition  of  nerve  was  now  required  of  that 
African  Major-General  of  the  obnoxious  "National 
Guards," — one  of  the  vcr\»men  whose  high  military  posi- 
tion was  so  offensive  to  the  white  men  now  surroundino- 
him,  and  thronging  his  court-room,  that,  though  notably 
fond  of  the  practice  of  arms,  they  utterly  disregarded  the 


114  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

law  requiring  their  enrollment  as  State  Militia-men,  lest 
they  might  be  subordinated  to  him. 

Yet  with  measured  step  and  dignified  mien  he  passed  the 
carriage  where  the  Bakers  still  sat,  greeting  them  with  easy 
politeness. 

"  I  should  like  to  know  whether  you  are  sitting  in  the 
capacity  of  Major-General  of  State  Militia,  or  as  a  Trial 
Justice  ?"  said  Gen.  Baker,  when  all  was  in  readiness. 

"That  will  depend  upon  the  nature  of  the  testimony.  I 
am  sitting  as  a  peace  officer;  and  if  the  facts  are  such  as 
to  justify  my  sitting  as  a  Trial  Justice,  I  will  do  so  ;  if 
not,  it  will  be  otherwise." 

"It  is  immaterial  to  me  ;  I  merely  wanted  to  know.  I 
want  to  investigate  the  facts  of  this  matter,  and  either 
capacity  will  be  agreeable  to  me,"  replied  the  General. 

At  this  juncture  the  Intendant  (Mayor),  approached,  and 
whispered  to  the  General,  "  I  think  if  j'ou  would  suspend 
this  trial  for  awhile,  we  could  settle  it." 

"  Just  ask  the  Judge.     If  he  suspends  I  am  willing." 

A  brief  conference  ensued,  after  which  the  Judge  an- 
nounced a  suspension  for  ten  minutes. 

This  caused  dissatisfaction  among  the  spectators,  as  a 
peaceful  adjustment  would  be  but  a  tame  issue  of  all  their 
military  preparations. 

Intendant  Gai*ndon  then  co'nducted  the  plaintiffs  and 
their  attorney  to  the  council  chamber,  which  was  separated 
from  Dunn's  shop  on  the  corner  or  Main  Street  by  only 
one  half  the  width  of  a  narrow  street. 


OTHER   FOOLS   AXD   THEIR   DOINGS.  115 

At  this  time  t)ie  largest  and  most  unruly  part  of  the  cav- 
alry was  gathered  about  this  corner  groggery,  and  a  less 
suitable  place  for  tiie  conference  could  not  have  been 
selected;  but  each  would-be  peacemaker  seemed  to  think 
peace  most  attainable  on  his  own  premises. 

Though  the  distance  was  less  than  four  squares,  as  they 
could  proceed  but  slowly  through  the  throng,  it  sufficed 
Gen.  Baker  to  administer  a  lecture  to  the  dusky  official 
upon  his  personal  culpability  in  having  allowed  "  this  so- 
called  militia  company,"  to  train  "  upon  Mr.  Robert  Ba- 
ker's road,"  and  with  arms  in  their  hands— though,  doubt- 
less the  poor,  berated  mayor  found  difficulty  in  understand- 
ing how  a  public  highway  could  be  "Mr.  Robert  Baker's 
road,"  or  how  he  could  have  disarmed  the  State's  militia. 

As  has  already  been  stated,  quite  a  number  of  colored 
citizens,  and  of  the  rank  and  file  of  the  militia  men,  had 
gathered  in  and  about  the  armory,  hoping  to  find  protec- 
tion there. 

Among  them  was  Dan  Pipsie,  who  was  quite  sober,  and 
his  own  plucky  self. 

"  Well,  if  I  war  Captain  Doc,  I'd  do  anyt'ing  on  earth  to 
settle  dis  myself,"  said  Dan.  "I  wouldn't  have  de  blood 
of  all  dese  collo'd  families  on  ??iy  head.  When  I  die,  I 
don't  want  no  man's  wife  cussin'  me,  noh  blamin'  me  fo' 
his  death." 

"  Capt.  Doc  a'n't  a  bit  to  blame  now,"  replied  Mann 
Harris.  '^  was  'bout  two  hundred  yards  from  'em  at  the 
time  of  the   fuss.     I  saw  Gaston   and   Tom  Baker  drive 


116  OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

down,  and  get  out  and  go  into  Nunbergers  store.  I  saw 
tlie  company  coming  Lack,  an'  they  was  a  gwoine  up  then, 
and  they  met  and  talked  awhile,  an'  the  company  divided 
an'  let  them  go  througli.  Let's  go  down,  an'  see  Rives 
about  this,  ^cd  O'Bran,  an'  git  him  to  send  a  dispatch  to 
tlie  Governor  to  hel2)us." 

"  Well,  come  on,"  replied  Ned. 

They  entered  the  quiet  office  of  the  Justice,  and  found 
him  sitting  there  alone,  and  looking  over  books  and 
papers. 

"  General,  what  is  you  doing?"  asked  Harris,  with  em- 
phasis. 

*'I  am  waiting  for  people  to  come  into  court  again." 

•'  If  you  wait  here  awhile  longer,  they'll  make  you  jump 
out  o'  liere  entirely!" 

"What  is  the  matter?" 

"Well,  there's  about  four  hundred  men  out  there  with 
guns  and  pistols.' 

"Ahl  I'll  go  out  and  see — Well,  really,  this  is  surprising! 
What  is  all  this  about?" 

"I  don't  know,"  said  the  excited  Harris.  "They're  gwoine 
to  take  the  guns  away  from  the  armory." 

The  three  men  walked  up  the  street  conversing.  Mean- 
while Captatu  Doc  entered  his  own  apartments,  which  it 
will  be  remembered,  were  in  the  same  building  as  the  ar- 
mory or  drill  room. 

"I've  been  in  my  shirt  sleeves,"  said  he  to  his  wife,  "ever 
since  I  left  my  bench  at^  noon;  but,  (with  a  grim  smile,)  if 


OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIH   DOINGS.  117 

I'm  gwoine  to  see  such  big  men  as  General  Baker  or  the 
Laud,  I  reckon  I'd  best  put  my  coat  on." 

"Oh,  Doc,  don't  talk  so  'bout  de  Laud  !  I'm  awful  scarred 
to  have  yo'  go." 

"  I've  got  a  right  to  go.  They  say  General  Baker's  gone 
up  to  the  Council  Chamber,  and  he  and  Garndon  '11  be  ex- 
pecting us." 

"I'm  awful  scarred  fo'  yo',  an'  I'm  a  mind  to  go  'way 
myself.  'Spex  the^^'ll  be  shootin'  'round  yere  so  the  baby 
couldn't  sleep  no  how.  Mann  Harris,  he's  taken  his  w'ife  off, 
'bout  an  hour  by  sun,  or  so,  poor  soul  !  sick  as  she's  been, 
now  mighty  nigh  on  to  a  year.  Mann  tole  me  he'd  positive 
his  word  thar'  would  be  no  fuss  nor  killin';  but  IVl  positive 
my  word  he  war'  'feared,  else  he  wouldn't  come  totin'  Di- 
nah down  all  dem  stairs,  an  hauled  'er  off  up  to  Miss  Pip- 
ton's;  fo'  it's  mighty  nigh  on  to  fo'  mile  ovah  da;  and  Di- 
nah has  determined  to  me  that  it  hurt  her  tolerable  bad  to 
stir  at  all." 

The  Captain  had  been  looking  out  of  the  window  while 
she  spoke,  towards  Dunn's  store  and  the  Council  Chambers, 
Turning  abruptly,  he  asked — 

"Where  is  the  baby  ?" 

"I  done  toted  'er  ovah  to  Elder  Jackson's  but  I  can't  let 
'er  stay  dar.  I'll  jes  lock  up  de  house,  an'  git  de  baby,  an' 
clar  out  ovah  de  rivah,  fo'  de  scar  o'  stayin'  in  dis  yere 
house  '11  perish  me  out,  if  I'm  de  onus  one  fo'  a  quarter 
hour  mo'" 

"Now,    Debby,   yo'  get   the   baby,  and  take  'er  over  to 


118  OTHER  FOOLS   AXD   THEIR  DOINGS. 

Rives's,  and  stay  thai*,  lie's  been  so  conciliating  to  'em, 
and  they  think  a  lieaj:)  o'  him.  Blamed  but  I  wish  the 
baby  was  here  a  minute  till  I  kiss 'cr  'fo'  I  go  up  to  see 
General  Baker.  Don't  get  scared  now.  They  won't  hnrt 
the  women,  I  reckon.  It's  only  them  as  votes  an' can  man- 
age a  gun  they're  after.  Take  care  yo'rself ,"  and  he  kissed 
her. 

"Oh,  ain't  yo'  scarred  to  go.  Doc?  sobbed  she,  clinging  to 
him.  "  Ispex  yo're  forced  to  by  persuasion;  but  I'm  feared 
they'll  put  a  bullet  into  yo',  and  maybe  fifty."  Here  she 
broke  down  entirely,  and  wept  aloud,  sobbing,  "Oh,  don't 
go,  Doc!  don't  go!" 

"But  I've  got  a  right  to,  to  save  the  town.  He'll  lay  it 
in  ashes.  I  wouldn't  like  to  tell  jo,  all  the  way  they're 
talking,  and  making  big  threats,  and  abusing  us  to  every- 
thing yo'  can  think." 

"  To  my  knowance  they're  mighty  bad;  and  I'm  mighty 
glad  Mann  Harris  sent  his  wife  off." 

"Well.  Debby,  yo'  go  and  get  the  baby,  and  take  good 
care  of  her.  I  reckon  you'd  best  tote  her  ovah  to  your  moth- 
er's 'cross  the  river.  Some  on  'em  might  hurt  her  if  they 
knowed  she^was  mine." 

They  left  the  house  together,  and  Doc  locked  the  door, 
and  put  the  key  in  his  pocket. 

"Oh,  my  lawses!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Doc.  "Don't  yo'  go 
up  thar,  Doc!  Jes  see  such  heaps  o'  men!  Jes  lots  and  piles 
of  'em!  Noic  yo'  sho^nH  go  " 

"No  mo'  I  won't!     They  picks  out  all  the  hardest  places 


OTHER  FOOLS   AXD   THEIR   DOINGS.  119 

for  a  man  to  go  to;  but  his  soldiers  'd  follow  the  General 
anywhere.  There  he  is  now.  He  ain't  gwoine  to  meet  me. 
See!  lie  knows  I'm  here  well  enough,  but  he  won't  look  at 
me.  Ah!  He's  gwoiiio  over  to  tlie  city.  P'raps  he'll  just 
clar  out,  now  he's  got  the  rest  agoing.  There's  Kanrasp, 
and  Rives  too." 

General  Rives  and  his  two  neighbors  met  General  Baker 
at  the  next  corner.  Tlie  latter  was  on  horseback  and  rode 
up  to  General  Rives  and  demanded  the  name  of  the  Colo- 
nel of  the  Elsfhteenth  Resriraent. 

"  Colonel  Williams,"was  the  reply. 

"Where  is  he?" 

"  At  his  house,  I  reckon." 

"I  want  him.     I  want  those  guns,  and  by I've  got  to 

have  them." 

"  General  Baker,  I  don't  know  what  to  do  about  them. 
I'll  go  up  and  see  the  Captain,  and  consult  with  him,  and 
see  if  he  says  to  give  them  up. 

A  moment  later  and  he  met  Judge  Kanrasp,  who  was 
earnestly  urging  the  colored  men,  women,  and  children 
who  were  huddled  in  knots  upon  the  street,  to  go  home  and 
remain  quietly  in  their  houses. 

"  Kanrasp,"  said  Judge  Rives,  *'  It  is  no  use  for  you  to 
stay  here  and  get  killed;  and  you  will  be  killed  if  you 
stay, — a  "carpet-bagger  and  a  "radical,  like  you." 

"That's  so,"  added  Marmor,  and  Doc,  and  Watta,  who  now 
joined  tlie  group;  and  tliey  hastily  accompanied  him  down 
to  the  Rail  Road  platform  nearly  opposite  the  armory,  and 


120  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

urged  him  to  flee,  as  one  who  would  be  first  attacked.  Ra- 
pidly crossing  the  river,  upon  tlio  Rail  Road  bridge,  the 
train,  which  arrived,  in  ton  minutes  took  him  home-wards; 
too  soon  for  the  accomplishment  of  his  purpose  to  learn  Gen. 
Bakers  mission  to  the  city. 

Never  were  the  combatitive  characteristics  of  the  whites 
and  colored  races  in  the  Southern  >States  more  clearly  ex- 
hibited than  in  the  scenes  at  Baconsville  tliat  day,  though 
leading  colored  men,  whose  exceptional  energy,  and  per- 
haps assertion,  had  made  them  such,  were  necessarily 
prominent.  Not  bravery,  so  much  as  skill  in  its  exercise, 
constitutes  the  white  man  a  leader  among  his  fellows. 

In  general  terms  it  may  be  said  that  timidity,  with  ex- 
tremely rare  acts  of  rashness,  characterizes  the  colored  race, 
bravado  and  arbritrary  assumption,  of  the  white  and  both  are 
the  victims  of  mutual  suspicion  and  distrust,  which  often 
cause  the  dreaded  ill. 

Gen.  Baker  was  absent  half  an  hour,  and  on  his  return  a 
general  remounting  took  place,  while  over  the  hill  at  the 
back  of  the  village,  came  a  large  company  of  horsemen,  all 
well  armed. 

Down  Main  street  they  rode,  two  abreast,  and  were  at 
once  distributed  throughout  the  town;  a  squad  upon  each 
street  corner,  attended  by  an  equal  number  of  infantry;  all 
with  weapons  in  hand  ready  for  immediate  action. 

Look  which  way  they  would,  the  distracted  freedmen 
saw  armed  men,  and  re-enforcements  constantly  arriving 
from  all  directions. 


OTPTEK   FOOLS   AND    THEIR  DOINGS.  121 

Di:ikii.:5>  was  approacliing,  and  lliough  the  hills  around 
were  still  touched  by  the  glow  of  the  setting  sun,  its  re- 
fracted rays  seemed  to  exaggerate  the  squalor,  and  magnify 
the  deformities  of  the  little  town  in  the  valley;  and,  exalt- 
ing the  war-like  preparations,  to  clothe  them  with  every 
imaginable  horror;  while  the  humidity  of  the  evening  air 
intensified  the  sounds  of  bLood-thirsty  riot. 

Justice  Marmor  now  closed  and  locked  his  office  door, 
and  began  at  this  tardy  moment,  to  think  of  adopting  Mrs. 
M's  advice. 

Stepping  out  of  his  own  back  door,  he  leaped  the  fence 
into  his  neighbor's  yard,  and,  mounting  his  door-steps, 
stood  in  a  closely  latticed  corner  of  a  porch^  and  took  ob- 
servations. 

The  square  was  surrounded  by  the  Rifle-clubs, —  the 
remnants  and  second-growth  of  the  cropped,  but  not  up- 
rooted Confederate  cavalry, — standing  thick,  two  abreast, 
with  guns  resting  upon  each  left  arm. 

In  the  vernacular  of  the  South,  Marmor  was  '' sl  scalla- 
t^a^,"  for,  though  once  a  brave  Confederate  soldier,  he  had 
become  a  consistent  advocate  of  the  idea  that  the  "  all 
men"  who  are  "created  free  and  equal"  includes  the  colored 
race;  and  probably  no  man  in  the  devoted  town  stood  in 
greater  danger  than  he. 

"Coim  's   house,   Meester    Marmor: i'm   's  house 

"quick!"  said  Dan  Lemfield,  opening  the  back-door  of  his 
dwelling.  You  pcMnine  neighbor,  and  shall  not  be  shot  on 
mine  dreshold.     Co  hide  self!  Co!" 


122  OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

Marmor  did  not  decline  the  invitation,  but  stepped 
quickly  in,  and  passing  to  the  parlor  in  front,  peeped  from 
behind  the  window  shades,  which  Mrs.  Lerafield  had  drawn 
closely  down. 

At  the  opposite  corner  of  the  street,  his  most  implacable 
enemy,  the  eldest  son  of  Col.  Baker,  sat  upon  his  horse, 
with  self-complacent  manner  waiting  the  appearance  of  his 
prey,  or  the  word  of  command  from  the  great  General. 
He  was  supported  by  eight  or  ten  other  men,  not  less  vigi- 
lant. 

"Oh,  Mr.  Marmorl"  besought  Mrs.  Lemfield,  "do  go  up 
stairs,  and  keep  out  of  sight.  They  have  threatened  about 
you  so  much  that  some  of  them  will  surely  come  in  here, 
and  kill  you!     Do  go  up,  quick!  quick!" 

Marmor  obeyed,  and  immediately  the  host,  who  had  been 
out,  re-entered  with  wild  eyes  and  white  lips, 

"  Vo  ish  dat  mon,  Sarah  ?" 

She  signed  with  her  hand,  in  reply  ;  at  the  same  time 
saying,  in  an  indifferent  tone,  "  Oh,  he's  gone  up,  he  is  not 
here,"  for  their  little  child  had  entered,  and  she  feared  it 
might  betray  their  guest. 

The  excited  Jew  (for  Lemfield  was  a  Jew)  leaped  up  the 
stairs,  calling  out  as  he  ran,  "Don't  shoot!  It's  me — jist 
me.  Oh,  moine  goot  freund!  Vat  vill  dese  men  to? 
Shenneral  Paker  say  he  vill  hab  de  guns,  oder  he  vill  pekin 
to  fire  in  von  half  hour.  Colonel  A.  P.,  dat  ole  man  you 
seen  sthrapping  on  dem  pig  bistols  by'me  Post  Office,  he 
tole  me  close  up  mine  par  in'  leetle  sthore.     Veil,  dey  ish 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  123 

hab  too  much  visky  now  ;  so  I  mind  quick,  I  tell  you  ! 
He  tole  same  tiiig  yo'  mudda,  an'  she  pe  shut  up." 

"  Where  is  she  ?"  asked  Marmor. 

"My  golly!  Se  ist  plucky  ole  voman.  Se  ira  leetle 
sthore — all  'lone  by  self.     She  not  come  avay." 

"Where  are  my  wife  and  children?" 

"Im  house — your  house.  Dat  ish  pest  blace.  Nicht 
wahr  ?     Pest  not  pc  mit  you." 

"  I  don't  know,"  replied  Marmor,  absently. 

"  Oh,  ya  I  Mon  come  here,  mon  sag,  '  Meester  dare 
sure.'  Xo\r  codis  vay,"  and  he  led  the  way  to  a  loft;  "Here 
CO  om  roof  van  dey  get  you.  Hark!  Vat  dat  noise  down 
stair  ish?" 

The  next  instant  Mrs.  Marmor  rushed  into  the  chamber 
and  threw  her  arms  about  her  husband's  neck  in  a  j^aroxysm 
of  w^eeping. 

He  folded  her  to  his  breast,  and  commanding  a  calm  and 
cheerful  tone,  said,  "  Jane,  Jane,  don't  give  way  so.  Why, 
I'm  not  afraid  ;  I  shall  come  off  all  right,  and  nobody  will 
hurt  you  or  the  children.  Our  people  are  chivalrous,  and 
won't  hurt  a  woman." 

"  Oh,  you  don't  know  !  you  don't  know  !"  she  sobbed. 
"  Capt.  Baker  just  now  told  me,  as  I  was  coming  to  bid 
you  good-bye,"  (here  her  sobs  interrupted  her  speech)  "  he 
told  me,"  she  resumed,  "  if  I  wanted  to  save  my  children 
from  getting  killed,  to  go  into  the  house  and  lock  the  doors. 
And  so  I  must  go  and  save  my  poor  babies.  Duck  got 
scared  and  ran  off  and  left  me  all  alone,"  and  she  placed 


124  OTHER  FOOLS  AXD   THEIR  DOINGS. 

her  cold  trembling  hands  on  either  side  of  her  husband's 
face,  and  kissed  him.  Then  pressing  them  upon  her  heart, 
she  descended  the  stairs,  moaning  aloud. 

"  Great  heavens  !  Am  I  a  hian  .?"  exclaimed  IMarmor, 
Jf'  to  let  my  wife  go  like  that,  and  I  hiding  to  save  my  own 
j'life  ! "  and  he  sprang  to  the  stairs  to  follow  her. 

Quick  as  thought,  the  Jew  placed  himself  before  him, 
^nd  held  him  back. 

"  She  be  not  cry  for  self  ;  just  for  yo?*.  You  co  da,  she 
cry  more.  Man  not  touch  her,  noh  leetle  kinder.  Yo'  co 
hide  now,  quick  !  " 

Five  minutes  later,  the  same  Col.  Baker,  her  husband's 
enemy,  rapped  loudly  upon  Mrs.  Marmor's  door,  with  the 
loaded  handle  of  his  riding-whip. 

Almost  too  much  frightened  to  stand,  she  opened  the 
door,  and  peeped  out. 

"  You  must  take  your  children,  and  leave  this  house  if 
you  do  not  want  to  be  killed,"  said  the  gallant  Coloneh 

*'0h,  where  shall  I  go  ?  What  shall  I  do?"  cried  the 
distracted  mother. 

"  You  must  get  out  of  here,  and  that  is  all  I  can  tell 
you,"  said  he,  with  an  oath.  "  Xo  use  to  lock  your  door — 
leave  it  open,  I  tell  you,  and  go  !" 

Nearly  all  the  colored  people  had,  by  this  time,  taken 
the  advice  of  Ju,dge  Kanrasp,  or  of  their  fears,  and  fled 
the  streets.  Like  timid  conies,  some  sought  the  vain 
shelter  of  their  homes,  others  that  of  the  neighboring 
corn-fields  or  river-ba:;ks  and  bridges,  and  still  others  fled 
to  the  surrounding  country. 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOEs'GS.  125 

Doc,  Watta  and  Smis  went  across  the  street  after  Kan- 
rasp  left,  taking  about  thirty  or  forty  men  with  them  to 
the  drill-room  on  the  second  floor. 

About  this  time  four  colored  men  were  seen  to  issue  from 
an  humble  dwelling,  and,  with  heroic  purpose  as  their  only 
visible  weapon,  they  quietly  made  their  way  along  tlie 
fortified  streets.  They  were  frequently  halted  and  their 
business  demanded,  when  their  uniform  reply  was  "To  see 
Gen.  Baker  ;"  and  the  moral  sublimity  of  their  position 
seemed  to  impress  even  the  conscienceless  rioters,  for  only 
verbal  abuse  was  hurled  at  them. 

Arm-in-arm  walked  Gen.  Justice  Hives  and  the  Metho- 
dist preacher — Elder  Jackson — (visibly  quaking  within  his 
spotless  linen,  and  coat  of  snowy  Avhiteness).  Behind  this 
worthy  pair  came  Springer,  the  chief  man  of  money  and 
of  business  in  the  town,  with  Lem  Picksley,  a  well-known, 
peaceable,  and  long-time  resident;  the  best  educated  and 
best-liked  citizen. 

At  length  they  found  the  man  they  sought — armed, 
mounted  and  surrounded  by  cavalry  arranged  in  warlike 
attitude,  who  appeared  to  reverence  him  as  their  chief, 

"Gen.  Baker,"  said  Rives,  "we  have  come  to  ask  if 
there  is  anything  we  can  do  to  make  peace." 

""Nothing  will  satisfy  me  but  the  surrender  of  the  men 
and  their  guns." 

"  T\"e  have  no  authority  to  surrender  them,  as  you  very 
well  know.  The  men  are  not  criminals  convicted,  and  you 
have  no  warrant  or  authority  of  law  ;   and  the  men  say 


126  OTHER  FOOLS  AXD  THEIR  DOIXGS. 

their  oaths  to  the  State  forbid  their  surrendering:  the  arms 
to  you.  If  you  can  show  any  authority  for  receiving 
them,  that  you  have  more  than  any  other  private  citizen, 
they  will  give  them  up  at  once  ;  but  they  say  they  cannot 
otherwise,  because,  if  they  should  voluntarily  yield  tliem 
up  to  you  or  any  other  private  citizen,  especially  sur- 
rounded by  such  an  armed  body  as  this,  without  authority 
of  law — well,  General,  you're  a  lawyer,  and  you  know 
what  the  law  calls  it.  The  law  and  their  oath  of  office  will 
not  allow  them." 

"  Rives,"  replied  this  great  chieftain,  "  you  are  the 
Major  General  of  the  State  Militia  in  this  district,  and 
can  demand  them." 

"Not  without  cause,  or  order  from  my  superior! " 

"  By  !"  said  the   negro-catcher.  Baker,  who    stood 

near,  "  you  had  better  do  something,  for  there's  going  to 
be to  pay  here,  if  those  officers  and  guns  are  not  deliv- 
ered up." 

"I  want  to  see  the  Colonel  of  this  regiment.  I  want 
these  officers  and  these  guns,"  said  Gen.  Baker  with  great 
vehemence. 

Ned  O'Bran,  who  had  joined  the  four  peace-makers,  now 
slipped  through  the  crowd  and  back  to  the  armory. 

"  How  does  it  look,  Ned  ?"  asked  Lieut.  Watta  from  a 
window  above  his  head. 

"  It  looks  squally.  Now,  Watta,  you  men  just  bar  the 
windows  and  doors,  and  let  nothing  nor  nobody  in  the 
Vrorld  in  there  ;  and  by  this  means  they  will  have  nothing 


OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  127 

nor  nobody  in  the  world  to  fight,  if  they  want  to  fight,  but 
themselves.  There's  bound  to  be  a  fuss  ;  for  I  heard  Gen. 
Baker  say  myself,  that  what  he  intended  to  do  this  evening 
won't  stop  till  after  the  seventh  of  next  November,  and 
that  is  election  day,  you  know.  So  shut  yourselves  up, 
and  keep  still." 

Watta  closed  the  window,  and  Ned  returned  to  the  place 
of  conference. 

A  horse  pushed  against  Springer's  companion,  and  he 
mildly  laid  his  hand  upon  the  animal's  shoulder  and  said, 
addressing  it,  "Take  care,  sir!" 

Quick  as  thought  the  rider's  whip  cut  a  smart  gash  upon 
the  dusky  cheek. 

The  chivalrous  Gen.  Baker,  looking  on,  took  out  his  own 
pocket  handkerchief,  and  wiped  the  perspiration  from  his 
own  face,  while  the  unoffending  mulatto  wipud  the  blood 
from  his;  and  Springer's  unflinching  eye  arrested  the  hand 
of  another  of  the  General's  aids,  as  he  was  about  to  send 
a  bullet  through  his  (Springer's)  brain. 

Neither  the  attack  nor  menace  elicited  rebuke  nor  notice 
from  the  "high-toned  "  General,  who  disdainfully  turned 
and  rode  away. 

"If  we  will  box  the  guns  up,"  said  Rives,  following 
him,  "  and  return  them  to  the  Governor,  will  that  be  satis- 
factory ?" 

'* the  Governor  !     I  am  not  here  as  the  Governor 

of  South  Carolina,  nor  his  agent,  but  as  General  Baker!" 

"Well,  we   are  sorrv  if  there  is   nothinor  we   can  do  to 


128  OTHER  FOOLS   AXD   THEIR  DOINGS. 

make  peace,  General,  but  (turning  to  his  companions)  we 
must  return  without  it,  and  each  do  the  best  he  can  for 
himself." 

"  Here's  Ked  O'Bran,"  said  Springer  in  an  undertone, 
"Brother  Jackson,  you  had  better  go  with  him,  for  his 
house  is  outside  of  the  picket  lines;  and  as  you're  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Legislature,  you  must  look  out — they'll  be  after 
you  shor." 

"I  was  just  going  down  to  the  drill  room  to  be  safe 
myself,"  said  O'Bran.  "  My  family  went  on  so  that  I  am  on 
my  way  back  to  the  armory." 

"You  can't  get  through  this  wfiy.  The  pickets  are 
everywhere.  You  had  best  go  home.  It's  every  man  for 
himself,  and  the  Lord  for  us  all,"  said  Springer,  and  the 
men  separated. 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS.  129 

CHAPTER  YJJl. 

ilZMORY    AND    EXPEEIEXCE. 

"Oh  !  the  blessed  hope    of  freedom   how  with  joy  and  glad  sur- 
prise, 

For  an  instant  throbs  lier  bosom,  for  an  instant  beam  her  eyes! 
*         a        *        ".        *****        ^         ^f. 

Oh,    my    people!    O   my   brothers!    let    us   choose    the    righteous 
side." 

— "Whittieb's  Voices  of  Fbeedom. 

The  snn  was  sinking  in  the  west,  when  the  sound  of  Aunt 
Phoebe's  dinner-horn  was  heard,  followed  by  Uncle 
Jesse's  cherry  response. 

Auntie  was  the  model-housekeeper  of  the  neighborhood, 
(not  a  high  compliment,  some  readers  might  think,  could 
they  see  many  of  the  homes  there,  where  the  women  spend 
most  of  their  strength  and  time  at  lield  labor),  she  having 
been  raised  a  house-servant,  and,  by  rare  chance,  blessed 
with  a  mistress  who  gave  her  personal  attention  to  the 
comfort  of  her  household. 

Auntie's  house  boasted  glazed  windows,  two  rooms  and 
aloft;  and  the  broad  boards  of  her  floors  were  so  clean 
and  white  that  her  kitchen  was  quite  inviting  as  dining- 
room  and  sitting-room  also. 

Her  iron  tea-kettle  shone  and  steamed  beside  a  small 
cherry  back-log  upon  the  great  hearth,  which  spread  below 
the  wide  "  Dutch-back"  chimney,  while  the  hoe-cakes  were 


130  OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR   DOINGS. 

"  keeping"  between  a  blue-edged  eartben  plate,  and  a  bright 
tin  pan,  upon  a  hot  stone  near  by,  and  a  kettle  of  boiling 
coi-n,  filled  the  room  witii  its  sweet  aroma. 

The  snowy  cloth  spread  ujDon  the  table  in  the  middle  of 
the  floor,  was  set  about  with  crockery  almost  antique, — the 
gift  of  "  old  Missus' ""  when  she  "  broke  up,"  because  the 
great   plantation  was    sold  for  taxes. 

Durinor  the   war  the  Confederate  and  Union  armies  had 

o 

swept  over  the  region  in  alternation,  like  swarms  of  locusts, 
taking  every  marketable  thing;  Abraham  Lincoln's  Proc- 
lamation of  Emancipation  had  freed  every  "hand,"  and,  as 
the  old  lady  had  lost  all  her  sons  in  the  war,  and  all  her 
means  to  hire  laborers,  and  would  not  lease  to  niggers,  she 
fcrtded  her  hands  and  let  her  remaining  possessions  drift 
from  her,  and  finally  died  a  pensioner  upon  her  friends. 

Many  a  time  had  Aunt  Phoebe's  childish  hands  washed 
these  same  cups  and  plates,  while  her  mother  cooked  for 
"the  great  house;"  and  as  she  now  brought  an  extra  large 
plate,  she  paused,  and  with  eyes  fixed  upon  it,  a  long 
stretch  of  years  seemed  to  pass  before  her. 

"Make  hay  while  the  sun  shines,"  she  spelled  around  the 

sunny  picture  of  hay-maker's  in    the   centre    of    the  plate; 

and  before  her  seemed  to  arise  the  placid  face  of  her  poor 

mother;  and  again  she  heard  her  say, — "Dat's  'de  way  'dey 

« 
do  at  'de  Xorth,  chile'.     'Taint  'de  colored  folks  as  does  all 

'de  work  dar'.     Oh  Lord!  oh  Lord!"     I  was  'mos'  free 

thought  I  ^cas  free   shor'    'dat  time  Missus  tuck  me  'not'h 

wid'  her.     Mighty   nice   gem'men  tole'  me  I  war  free; — I 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  131 

needn't  go  back  South  no  'mo'.  So  I  jos  walks  off:  but, 
oh  Laws!  He  didn't  know 'nuffiu 'bout 'dem  United  States 
Marshal  'dey  call  'cm,  I  'reckon;  but  may  be  'dey  didn't 
'blong  to  no  United  States,  nohow  Spex'  'dey  come  from 
South  Caroline.  'Dey  tole'  I  'jes  got  go  'long  back  wid 
Missus,  or  'de  whole  'dera  United  States  'sogers'd  he  afe'r 
me,  shor;  Wal,  Wal,  'pears  like  'day  didn't  none  of  'era 
know  nohow;  fo'  nother  gem'men  said  'dem  United  States 
Marshals  hadn't  got  'nufRn  to  do  wid  me,  nohow,  'cause 
Missus'  brung  me  'long  herself.  I  didn't  run  away  'nohow, 
'cause  I  neber  was  so  low  as  a  runaway  nigger.  'Pears  like 
I  didn't  know  who  't  believe,  an  so  I  came  back  'long  wid' 
Missus  to  make  shor'. 

"  Po're  ole'  Lize,  she  lived  nex'  do'  to  Missus'  hotel.  She 
used  to  set  by  'de  pump  in  'de  back  yard,  evenings,  and 
smoke  and  smoke.  "  Dar  was  a  young  miss  'dar,  used  to  come 
too,  'an  talk  'wid  us,  'an  she  tole'  Lize  war  free,  and  I  war' 
free,  'cause  we  didn't  runned  away  from  'de  South.  'Reckon 
she  war  right,  now;  but  I  didn't  know,  an'  she  war'  young.'* 
Lize  was  ole  an'  been  sick  aheap,  an'  wan't  'woth  much.  She 
was  'gwoine  to  be  sold  in  St.  Loo,  an'  all  her  chillun, — five 
chillun.  'jDey  sold  right  smart,  but  no  body  didn't  want 
Lize;    but  a  bad  man  said  he'd  give  twenty  dollah." 

"Lize  seen  a  mighty  nicegem'man  from  de  No'thda,  an' 
she  got  hold  his  feet,  an'  roared  an'  cried  till  he  bought  her, 

"Wal,  'pears  like  he  didn't  know  what  t'do  wid  her  af'r 
all;  hadn't  got  no  wife,  no  nothin'  but  lots  o'  money.  Well, 
shoo'  'nuff'  dat  bery  night  he  tuck  mighty  sick.     Ole  Lize 


132  OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS. 

nussed  'im  nigLt  and  day,  six,  eight  weeks  or  mo',  till  he 
got  well,  Doetah  said  *I)ar's  de  ole  creatur  dat  save  yo' 
life.  It  wa'nt  me,  nohow.'  AVal,  Mars'  Sam  war  mighty 
good  den  to  ole  Lize.  He  tuck  Yt  off  No'th,  and  spex 
cause  he  hadn't  got  nothin'  nor  no  place,  he  coaxed  'er 
to  stay  wid  'is  sistah.  But,  laws  !  she  wa'n't  like  he.  She's 
cross,  an'  scold  ole  Lize  a  heap,  when  she's  crying  'bout  her 
boys  jes'  been  sole  'way  down  t'  Xew  Orleans,  'cause  dey 
war  so  high  spirited  like,  an' Lize  wa'n't  dar  to  keep 'im 
quiet  like.  Lize  wanted  t'  g^o  back  to  St.  Loo,  an'  see  'er 
girls.  Cross  woman!  She  tole  ole  Lize  all  dat  to  make  'er 
fret;  an'  Mars  Sam  'ad  writ  dat,  dat  war  why  he  didn't 
wan'r  Lize  to  come  back,  cause  he  didn't  want  'er  to  fret. 
Poor  soul!  couldn't  write  to  Mars'  Sam. 

*'  Laws,  I's  young  an'  spry  den,  an'  wanted  to  be  free 
powerful  had]  but  de  Laud  he  say,  I  mus'  stay  right  yere, 
an'  cook  for  Missus,  a  slave  all  my  life,  maybe."  Fresh 
and  clear  as  when  first  spoken,  Aunt  Phebe  -seemed  to  hear 
these  tales  which  once  impressed  her  youthful  mind. 

And  then  right  between  the  hay-makers  and  Auntie's 
eyes  there  came  another  picture.  She  could  see  the  great 
smoke  rolling  up  over  the  woods  beyond  the  cotton  field, 
and  hear  the  cannon's  roar,  and  the  shells  screeching  and 
crashing  through  the  trees,  and  see  "old  Missus"  wring- 
ing her  hands  and  weeping,  and  praying  the  good  Lord  to 
spare  her  four  sons  who  were  fighting  in  the  confederate 
ranks;  and  all  the  slaves  were  praying  for  the  '"Yankees," 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS.  133 

while  they  exhausted  every  means  to  soothe  and  comfort 
"old  missus." 

That  same  night,  when  the  house  servants  were  all  in  her 
cabin  except  Lucy,  Avho  was  "  staying  wid  Missus,"  Uncle 
Tim,  the  plantation  preacher,  was  repeating  what  scripture 
passages  he  could  remembej*,  thme  came  a  loud  rap  ou  the 
closed  door  behind. 

"If  yo'  de  Laud  o'  de  Debbil,"  said  Uncle  Tim,  "in  de 
name  ob  de  Laud,  I  tell  yo'  come  in,"  and  a  Yankee  sol- 
dier entered. 

There  she  could  see  him  stand  in  the  light  of  the  "  fat 
pine"  which  Tim  put  on  the  fire — the  "  Lincom  Soger" — re- 
peating the  Proclamation  of  Emancipation.  How  plainly 
he  stood  out  now!  and  the  great  light  that  shone  around 
him  seemed  almost  to  smite  her  blind  as  it  did  then. 

There  was  dear  old  granddaddy,  with  wrinkled  hands  that 
had  toiled  without  recompense  for  nearly  a  century,  clasp- 
ed tightly  together.  How  slowly  and  easily  he  slipped 
from  his  chair  onto  the  floor!  She  thought  he  was  kneeling; 
but  when  she  bent  to  help  him,  she  heard  his  whisper,  "Free 
into  glory!  Free  into  glory!  'Tain't  no  uiggsh.  slave  jo^ 
comin'  fo'.  Angel!"  and  his  withered  lips  closed  forever  on 
earth,  while  his  "  new  song,"  broke  forth  from  lips  of  fade- 
less bloom,  in  a  land  where  love  makes  slavery  impossible. 

And  there  she  saw  "Mammy" — the  dear  form  swaying 
backwards  and  forwards  as  she  wept  and  moaned,  "  Oh, 
wicked,  cruel  man  to  cheat  poor  slaves!  It  is  too  good  for 
true!  too  good  for  trueP''- 


134  OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS. 

And  then,  before  Aunt  Pliebe,  opened  the  two  deep 
graves  where  they  buried  them  side  by  side,  father  and 
daughter,  grandfather  and  mother.  The  tardy  eman- 
cipation that  had  opened  slavery's  dungeon  had  opened 
also  the  pearly  gates  for  the  aged  and  the  invalid. 

The  big  hot  tears  weue   rolling  slowly   down   Auntie's 

cheeks  and  threatening  a  briny  siio  wer  upon  the  hay-makers, 

when  Uncle  Jesse's  stej)  upon  the  threshold   startled   her, 

and  the  plate  fell  to   the  floor  and  broke  into  a   score   of 

pieces. 

She  dropped  into  a  chair,  threw  her  apron  over  her  head, 

and  wept  aloud. 

""Wal!  wal!  wal!"  said  her  husband,  as  he  scraped  the 
soil  from  his  shoes  at  the  door,  "  crying  that  way  about  a 
broked  up  plate?  Oh!  it's  one  old  Missus  gave  yo',"  he 
added,  as  he  approached  the  fragments. 

As  suddenly  as  her  grief  had  seemed  to  come,  she  flung 
her  apron  from  her  face,  tossed  up  both  her  arms,  and 
broke  into  a  loud,  clear  strain;  laughing,  clapping  her 
hands,  shrieking  and  stamping  her  feet: 

"  Glory  and  honor,  praise  King  Jesus  ! 

"  Glory  and  honor,  praise  deLamb  I 

"  Oh  Jesus  comin'  dis  way 

"  Don't  let  3^our  chariot  wheels  delay  ! 

"Jesus  Christ  comin' in  his  own  lime  ; 

"  Take  away  dc  mudder  leahe  the  baby  behind." 

"  Oh  you  got  that  wrong,"  said  Uncle  Jesse,  who,  with 
his  tv/o  workmen  had  joined  lustily  in  the  chorus.  It's 
"  Take  away  the  baby,  leave  the  mother  behind." 


OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  135 

"  I  sings  it  jes  as  I  wants  it,*'  replied  his  wife.  De  Laud 
he  tuck  my  raudder,  an'  he  lef  me  behind." 

"  Give  mc  grace  fo'  to  run  dat  race, 

"  Hcabcn  shall  be  my  liidin'-place  ; 

"  Wet  or  dry,  I  means  to  try 

"  To  get  up  into  hcabeu  when  I  die. 

"  If  yo'  get  dar  befo'  I  do, 

' '  Tell  dcm  I  am  comin'  too. 

"  Glory  and  honor,  praise  &c. 
"God  be  cailii),'  trumpet  bcsoundin'  ; 
"Don't  dat  look  like  judgment  day  ? 
"  De  tombs  be  bustin',  dc  d.  ad  be  risin', 
"  De  wheels  ob  time  shall  not  be  no  mo. 
"  Gloiy  and  honor,  praise,  6:c. 

"Chariot  dartin'  to  de  new  grabc-yard  ; 
'*  Go  down  angels  and  veil  wid  dc  sun  ; 
"  Go  down  angels  and  veil  wid  the  moon, 
"  Fo'  the  wheels  ob  time  shall  not  be  no  mo." 
"  Glory  and  honor,  praise,  &c. 

"It's  de  Debbil's  bad  luck  !  fo'  I  see)i  dat  plate  gwoine 
down  on  do  flo';  but  I  sung  to  d(f  Laud,  an'  He'll  break  dc 
cha'm/-  said  Auntie,  with  the  evident  satisfaction  of  one 
who  has  liL'cn  at  once  shrewd  and  dutiful.  (It  is  thought 
an  ill  omen  to  sec  crockery  fall,  if  it  breaks.) 

"Auntie,  I  shall  like  mighty  well  to  see  dat  chariot 
comin',  when  I  sho'  de  Laud  is  in  it,  '  said  Brother  John- 
son,' the  class  leader,  who  was  one  of  the  workmen,  "  but 
jes  at  dis  pertickelertime  I  wants  to  begnawin'  one  o'  dem 
cawn-cobs  in  dat  skillet." 


136  OTHER   FOOLS   AXD   THEIR   DOIXGS. 

"  A  wicked  an'  a  glutton  man  de  Land  He  despise,"  she 
retorted,  as  she  arose,  and  casting  a  reproving  glance  upon 
the  offender  proceeded  to  "  dish  up"  the  repast.  Mean- 
while Brother  Gibson  struck  up  the  following  : 

"  I  lub  my  sistah,  dat  I  do  ! 

"  Hope  my  sistali  mny  lubmc  too: 

"  If  3'o'  get  dar  yo'  g\\-oine  to  sing  an'  tell 

"De  fo'  arcb-aDgelsto  tune  do  bell." 

Supper  was  announced  just  as  the  sun  reached  the 
"hour  mark"  upon  the  cabin  floor,  which  had  done  duty  as 
indicator  of  the  time  for  the  evening  meal  for  many 
months  ;  and  further  musical  exercises  were  indefinitely 
postponed. 

The  repast  had  not  yet  been  disposed  of  when  the  voice 
of  a  man  was  heard  calling,  "  Whoop  !  whoop  !" 

"That  is  Den  Bardun,"' said  Uncle  Jesse,  as  he  sprung 
from  the  table  to  the  door. 

"  Hello  !     What's  wanted  ?"  he  shouted  in  reply. 

"Man  herefrom  Baccn^ville  wants  help.  Says  they're 
killing  all  the  colored  people  over  there.     Will  you  go  ?" 

"Come  over;  come  over,  and  bring  him  along;"  and 
Uncle  Jesse  hastened  back  to  the  table  to  finish  his  meal 
while  the  twain  should  be  pacing  the  tlie  two  hundred 
yards  intervening  between  the  two  drrellins^s. 

They  entered  presently,  both  much  excited,  and  the 
Baconsville  man  bearini^  a  double  barreled  shot-crun. 

"  What  is  the  matter?"  asked  the  host,  gulping   down   a 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIIl  DOINGS.  137 

half  cup  of  coffee  and  leaving  the  table  to  greet  his  guests. 
"  I  couldn't  hear  half  you  said." 

"Ugh!  Matter  enough!"  replied  Den.  "Tell  him, 
Sterns." 

"  Why,  the  town  of  Baconsville  is  just  running  over  of 
armed  while  men — rifle-clubs,  regular  cavalry  companies, 
and  they're  going  to  kill  all  the  niggers,  ravish  the 
women,  and  burn  the  houses,  and  put  all  the  children  to 
death  !" 

"No  !  no  !  no  !"  cried  Uncle  Jesse.  "Tell  a  man  some- 
thing he  can  believe  now  !  They  won't  do  no  such  thing 
as  that.  The  white  folks  has  got  more  sense  'n  that.  They 
won't  do  no  such  things,  and  I  don't  believe  it !  You  are 
scart  and  excited." 

"Just  go  and  see  then,  Mr.  Roorae.  If  you  don't  believe 
me,  may  be  you  won't  believe  your  own  eyes,"  replied  the 
man." 

"TVell,  Roome,come  on  !  Let's  go  and  see  for  ourselves; 
for  if  it  is  true,  we  ought  to  help,"  said  Brother  Gibson, 

"Xo  sir  !  You  just  wait,  and  keep  inside  the  law  !"  said 
Jesse  Roome,  after  scratching  his  head  thoughtfiilly  a 
moment.  "I  believe  in  law^  and  them  that  has  kept  inside 
the  law  is  the  ones  that  is  comins:  out  ahead." 

Sterns  then  gave  a  graphic  description  of  the  incidents, 
threats,  and  indications  in  Baconsville,  up  to  the  close  of 
the  court-scene  at  about  half  past  four  o'clock. 

Of  course  the  whole  group  were  intensely  excited, 
and  Aunt  Phebe  iistened,  shrieked,  and  prayed  by  turns; 


138  OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS. 

but  Uncle  Jesse  was  still  firm  in  his  first  decision  to  keep 
inside  the  law." 

*'  There's  been  heaps  of  threats,  I  know,  enough  to  make 
a  man  intimidate  of  his  shadow;  but  there's  a  j)ile  o'  blus- 
ter and  brag  in  these  old  aristocrats;  just  like  a  barking 
dog  though,  he'll  never  bite." 

"  Heigh  I  but  they  be  a  biting  now,  sho,"  said  Sterns 
with  a  shrug. 

"And  then  our  folks  ha'n't  always  done  right,"  Mr. 
Roome  continued.  "  It's  a  new  thing  for  us  to  make  laws^ 
and  be  officers,  and  all  that;  and  some  thinks 'cause  they 
make  the  laws,  that  they  needn't  keep  'em;  and  some  is 
mighty  ambitious,  and  likes  to  pay  off  old  scores  through 
the  laws.  [N'ow  that  a'n't  right,  and  it  can't  do  no  good, 
nohow.  Some  laws  has  been  made  wrong,  and  some  has 
been  executed  wrong,  and  it  a'u't  reasonable  to  suppose 
that  a  man  that  has  been  a  slave  all  his  life,  and  ha'n't  had 
nothing  to  do  'bout  no  laws  only  to  be  lashed  when  his 
master  has  a  mind  to,  is  going  to  rise  right  up  and  know 
everything  at  once.  And  the  masters  that  has  been  mas- 
ters over  us  so  long,  I  suppose  it  's  mighty  hard  for  them 
to  stand  the  nigger  majorities  in  this  State,  and  have  the 
niggers  that  they  used  to  have  under  them,  just  like  that 
dog  now,  making  laws  for  them,  and  in  the  offices.  Well, 
now,  we  ought  to  think  o'  these  things,  on  both  sides, 
and  have  patience  and  do  the  best  we  can,  and  keep  mside 
the  law.  If  the  militia  company  and  the  white  folks  has 
got  up  a  quarrel   over  there  in   Baconsville,  and   either  of 


OTHER  FOUi.S   A-N'D   THEIR  DOIXGS.  139 

them  is  going  to  breaking  tlic  laws— well,  I  a'n't  going  over 
there  to  join  'em  in  doing  it  !     That  is  all." 

"  But  it  's  the  white  folks  that  is  breaking  the  laws;  and 
rra  surprised  that  yo,'  Mr.  Roomc,  a'n't  ready  to  help  us 
against  'em.  They  're  all  there,  mounted  and  armed,  and 
officered;  and  they  says  they  shall  have  these  men  and  their 
guns.  The  militia  ha'n't  got  guns  enough  there,  and  not 
scarcely  no  ammunition;  and  they're  just  going  to  be  mas- 
sacred  !" 

"No!  no!"  replied  Uncle  Jesse,  "that  won't  be  done. 
Them  white  folks  know  we've  got  a  Governor  and  courts." 

"But  there's  too  many  of  'em  for  the  courts  to  stop  'em. 
There's  two  or  three  thousand,  all  armed,  and  some  of  'em 
is  the  biggest  men  in  the  State,  the  old  aristocrats  ;  and 
the  Governor's  militia  can't  do  nothing  against  these  Rifle 
Clubs  yo'  know,  these  old  confederate  soldiers  that  served 
in  the  war.  They're  all  tliera,  or  the  one's  they've  trained 
up,  are  officering  now." 

"  I  know,  I  know,"  said  Jesse,  "  but  you  know  there's  the 
United  .tates.  The  United  Statas  won't  see  us  killed  off 
that  way." 

"'Cause  the  United  States  is  too  fur  off  to  see  it;  and 
when  we're  all  killed,  the  United  States  can't  bring  us  alive 
again." 

"Why  didn't  they  just  let  them  two  young  fellows  go 
through  that  company  in  the  first  place  on  the  4th  of  July  ? 
It's  mighty  provoking  to  see  the  niggers  celebrating  the 
4th  w^ith  the   same  flag  they  used    to  brag  so   much   about 


140  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOtN'GS. 

'fore  the  "wa',  (thougli  they  have  hated  it  ever  since),  and 
the  State  guns,  and  all  !  AVe've  growed  so  big  now,  we 
can  afiPord  to  stoop  down  to  sucli  little  fellows  as  they've 
got  to  being.  What's  the  use  o'  keeping  up  a  quarrel  when 
we've  got  to  live  together  ?" 

"Now,  Jesse,"  said  Den  Bard iin,  "we've  been  stooped 
mighty  nigh  double  all  our  lives,  and  our  fathers  and 
grandfathers  before  us,  and  some  of  their  backs  is  getting 
stiff.  It's  well  enongh  to  make  a  bow,  but  some  folks  don't 
enjoy  being  rid  over,  and  I  reckon  yoW  one!''' 

"  I  can't  stay  to  hear  yo'  talk,  and  if  yo'  a'n't  men  enough 
to  go  and  help  yo'  neighbors  when  they  is  getting  jist 
slayedj  I'm  gwine  to  find  some  men  somewhar;  and  if  ever 
yo'  wants  help  like  us,  to  save  yo'  life  and  property,  maybe 
yo'll  get  it.     I  hope  so,"  and  Sterns  hastened  away. 

Uncle  Jesse  j^aced  up  and  down  the  room  for  some  mo- 
ments, with  his  arms  folded  and  his  chin  upon  his  breast; 
while  Den  Bardun  leaned  against  the  door-post,  and 
watched  alternately  this  neighbor  and  the  chickens  a  hen 
was  endeavoring  to  call  into  a  coop  in  which  she  was  con- 
fined near  the  door. 

'•  It  acans  hard  !  It  does  seem  hard!"  said  Roome,  with- 
out raising  his  eyes  from  the  floor,  "  and  it  seems  cruel 
like,  I  know  it  does.  But  it  is  right!  I Jcnoio  it  is  right! 
and  I  feel  it  right  in  my  breast,"  looking  up  with  an 
assured  manner,  and  striking  his  broad  chest  with  his 
palms.  Sit  down,  Den,  sit  down.  What  do  you  think 
about  this  doings  ?" 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND    THEIR  DOIN'GS.  141 

"I  believe  it's  a  luiglity  hard  affair,  and  Ini  afraid  it's  a 
big  one ;  ancl  I  don't  believe  it  's  all  about  the  4th  of  July 
scrape,  either.  li's  more  like  the  democratic  party,  and 
they're  ph:ving  off  that  it's  the  militia." 

"What  makes  you  think  so,  Dan?" 

"Well,  Deacon  Atwood,  he  says  to  me  the  other  day, 
says  he,  ''All  the  officers  of  the  Republican  party  has  got  to 
be  killed  out,  shor;"  and  I  asked  him  what  for?" 

"Was  he  talking  of  the  colored  officers  or  of  all  of  'em?" 

White  and  black,  making  no  exceptions.  He  says, 
"  we're  going  to  have  this  election,  and  the  only  way  we 
can  get  it,  will  be  to  kill  out  the  leading  men,  and  then  the 
ignorant  men  will  do  right." 

"  Mr.  Atwood  came  here  the  other  day,"  said  Jesse,  "  I'd 
hired  :Mott  Erkrap,  you  know,  to  work  for  me,  and  he  left 
me  because  I  wouldn't  give  him  4th  of  July;  and  he  want- 
ed to  come  back,  and  I  wouldn't  take  him  back.  The 
Deacon  came  concerning  him,  and  he  said  then  that  the  Re- 
publican party,  before  long,  was  going  to  ketch  the  Devil, 
(Uncle  Jesse  lowered  his  voice  as  if  in  awe  of  his  Satanic 
Majesty.)  Says  he  "  There'll  be  worse  than  seventy  seven 
claps  of  thunder  striking  right  against  them.  Of  course 
we  was  astonished  at  his  speaking  so  rash  and  'reverent 
right  here  in  the  yard.  We  was  all  very  much  astonished, 
me  and  my  wife,  and  Mott  Erkrap,  and  a  stranger  from  the 
city  that  came  with  Mott,  at  his  speaking  so  rash  and 
'revrent  at  what  would  happen  to  the  Republican  party  in 
short  time." 


1-1£;  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

"  Hark!"  exclaimed  Aunt  Phebe,  raising  her  hands.  "Oh, 
Lord!  tliey   bo  a  killing  'em!" 

The  sound  of  small  arms  came  unmistakably  upon  the 
evening  air. 

"  Oh,  no!  It  takes  more'n  one  bird  to  make  a  sj^ring.  It 
a'nt  so  strange  to  hear  a  gun  fire!"  said  Uncle  Jesse;  at 
the  same  time  a2')proaching  the  door  to  listen. 

"But  there's  another!  and  another!  and  heaps  of  'em!" 
said  she,  becoming  almost  frantic  with  excitement. 

"  Good  Lord!  they  be  a  fighting!"  exclaimed  both  Dan 
and  Jesse. 

Several  of  the  nearer  neighbors  soon  came  running  up, 
breathless  and  alarmed,  to  ask  Avhat  should  be  done. 

'■What  is  all  we  gwoine  to  do,  Uncle  Jesse?"  asked  a 
small  coal-black  man,  rushing  up  to  the  yard,  gun  in  hand. 
Don't  ye  think  we  ought  to  go  down  and  help  'em!  — !  — ! 
but  it's  awful  to  hear  them  guns  and  stand  here  with  my 
good  rifle  in  my  hands  doing  nothin';"  and  ho  strode  back 
and  forth  in  front  of  the  door  where  the  group  was  stand- 
ing, clasping  his  trusty  weapon  to  his  breast. 

"You'd  best  remember  the  Lord  in  such  a  time  as  this, 
anyhow,  and  not  be  swearing,"  replied  Roome."  "  The 
more  goes  there,  the  worse  and  the  bigger  that  fuss  has  got 
to  be,  and  the  more  colored  people  will  get  killed  any  how 
for  the  whites  has  got  to  beat.  I^o,  no,  Penn\'  you'd  best 
keep  away  if  you  don't  want  to  be  killed." 

"I  wonder  where  Deacon  Atwood  is?"  asked  Den 
Bardum, 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  143 

"He  a'n't  there,  you  may  be  slior.  He'll  talk  big,  and  put 
the  rest  up,  but  keep  safe  hisself,"  said  Jesse. 

"  How  about  that  Sheriff's  office  ?"  and  Penny  looked 
significantly  at  both  Jesse  and  Den. 

"  That's  so,"  said  Den,  "  we  three  did  promise  to  get 
him  nominated  on  the  Republican  ticket,  didn't  we? 
He  Avas  mighty  in  love  with  our  Governor  then." 

"But  the  Governor  won't  support  this  kind  of  doings," 
said  Roome. 

"Goodness  gracious!  Just  hear  the  guns!"  said  Penny, 
"We'll  see  fire  pretty  soon.  They'll  be  burning  houses, 
certain." 

"  I  do  hope  this  is  n't  our  folks  begun  this,"  said  Jesse. 
"  I  hope  they  '11  keop  inside  the  law,  and  then  the  United 
States  can  protect  us,  and  not  let  the  white  folks  here  kill 
us  all  off.  But  if  our  folks  begun  this,  the  good  Laud 
knows  what  will  become  of  us  all.  If  Deacon,  Atwood  goes 
in  for  this  kind  of  thing,  I'll  go  back  on  him;  for  I  won't 
stick  to  any  body  that  violates  the  law.  My  motto  is  to 
punish  every  man,  white  and  black,  that  violates  the  law. 
It  does  seem  mighty  hard  to  stand  here,  and  hear  them 
guns,  and  believe  that  somebody 's  getting  killed;  but  I 
feel  in  my  breast  that  it  is  the  right  thing  to  do.  Does 
any  of  you  know  who  's  gone  over  from  Bean  Island? — 
any  of  the  neighbors?" 

"  Of  the  white  folks?  or  the  colored?" 

"Either  one." 

"  Dr.  Ave,  Joe  Ennery,  Coot  Hogg,  and  Ramal  Bardun, 


14:4:  OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS. 

John  Rammel,  and  Robert  Blending  has  gone;  and  Captain 
Black,  and  Williams,  and  I  expect  the  Payne  hoys." 

"Do  you  l:?20w  that,  Penny?"  and  Uncle  Jesse  bit  his 
lips. 

*'  Yes,  I  met  them  near  sundown,  gallopping  hard  that 
way;   or  rather,  I  didn't  meet  the  Payne  boys." 

"Hist!     There  comes  the  old  man." 

"  Good  evening  Mr.  Payne,"  said  the  host,  extending  his 
right  hand  in  a  cordial  welcome,  while  with  his  left  he 
made  a  sign  behind  his  back,  commanding  caution. 

This  was  clearly  visible,  though  the  sun's  light  had  en- 
tirely faded;  for  the  cabin  door,  near  the  outside  of  which 
they  stood,  was  wide  open,  and  afire  of  fat  pine  was  filling 
the  broad  chimney's  throat  with  a  sheet  of  flame. 

"Old  man  Payne"  Avas  a  small  man,  with  a  large  head, 
quick,  deep-set  gray  eyes,  under  a  broad  brow  which  was 
crowned  with  snowy  hair. 

He  it  was  who  had  counselled  discretion,  moderation  and 
honorable  dealing  at  the  Club  meeting  at  which  "Watson 
Atwood  was  initiated  into  the  mysteries  of  modern  south- 
ern politics. 

A  descendant  of  an  honored  southern  family,  he  yet 
seemed  from  infancy  to  have  inherited  many  notions  which 
were  antagonistic  to  the  environments  of  his  childhood, 
and  which  several  seasons  spent  in  Kew  England,  in  the 
early  home  of  his  mother,  served  to  strengthen  and  inten- 
sify. 

His  wife,  always  fully  Southern  in  ideas  and  sympathies, 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  145 

bad  reared  tbeir  children  so,  aided  by  tbe#  surronndino-s 
\^ile  be  bad  very  quietly  cberisbed  bis  own  sentiments. 

A  cbair  was  brought,  and  be  seated  biraself  without 
speaking,  sighed  heavily,  foklcd  bis  small  nervous  bands, 
and  gazed  away  into  the  darkness;  and  as  volley  followed 
volley,  be  shuddered,  and  wept. 

''  Good  God,"  said  hi-  at  length,  "  I  bad  hoped  this  kind 
of  thing  was  over!  Jesse,  what  do  you  know  about 
this?" 

"Nothing,"  was  the  prompt  reply.  "I  know  nothing: 
at  least,  I'v'e  just  heard  that  there's  a  fuss  between  the 
Militia  company  and  the  white  folks.  Do  you  know  who's 
in  it,  Mr.  Payne.     Who  begun  it,  I  mean?" 

"I  only  know  they  say  the  officers  would  not  go  to 
court,  but  just  fortified  themselves  in  the  armory,  and  de- 
fied the  law,  and  said  they  were  going  to  fight.  Joe  Morey 
says  they've  been  making  awful  threats  lately,  and  so  the 
Rifle  clubs  were  called  out  to  sustain  General  Baker,  who 
undertook  to  conduct  the  suit  for  Robert  Baker  and 
Gaston." 

"Defied  the  law?     How's  that,  Mr.  Payne?" 

"J  don't  know  Jesse,  but  that  is  what  Joe  Morey 
said." 

"Is  that  all  you  know  about  it?" 


"  Yes. 


"  Has  any  body  gone  over  from  here,  from  the  Island,  I 
mean?" 

"Yes,  some  on  botb  sides,  I  guess." 


146  OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS. 

• 

"And  whatis  the  intentions  of  the  white  folks?" 

"I  do  not  know,  except  that  they  intend  to  get  some 
security  that  the  negroes  shall  give  up  their  guns,  and  stop 
drilling.  They  say  they  do  not  feel  secure  in  their  lives 
and  property  while  the  Militia  is  drilling  wdth  arms  in 
their  hands." 

"What  has  the  colored  people  ever  done?  And  why  don't 
they  treat  them  so  well  that  they  won't  be  afraid  of  them? 
They're  State  Militia." 

"I  know,  I  know  that  Jesse;  but  our  boys  will  listen  to 
nothing.  I'm  afraid  of  the  consequences,  and  do  not  want 
another  war." 

"  A  good  many  of  'em  is  pretty  old  "  boys," — old  Con- 
federate soldiers,"  said  Roome,  "  and  there  can't  be  much 
that  is  worse  than  this,  judging  by  the  guns  we  hear. 
How  do  you  know  there's  any  gone?" 

"  They  went  by  my  store,  and  I  tried  to  persuade  them 
not  to  go." 

"  Who  was  they?" 

"  I  can  not  give  names,  Jesse." 

"  Did  Hankins  go,  Mr.  Payne?" 

"I  cannot  tell,  Jesse;  but  I'm  glad  you  are  all  here. 
If  you  stay  here,  you  will  not  be  hurt.     But  I  didn't  think 

till   now, some  of    them   may  be  straggling   off  here, 

and  I  had  better  go  back  to  my  store,"  and  the  old  man 
walked  sadly  away." 

The  night  had  set  in,  dark  and  moonless;  and  an  hour's 
brisk  discharge  of  small  arms   was  followed,  (after  an  in- 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOIXGS.  U7 

ten^l  of  respite),  by  the  booming  of  cannon,  which  height- 
ened the  terror  and  direful  foreboding,  of  the  listeners" 

Lncle  Jesse'«  dwelling  became  a  tabernacle  to  the  Lord 
that  night;  for  from  it  arose  the  ceaseless  voice  of  true 
prayer-"  the  soul's  sincere  desire,"  through  all  those  hours 
of  darkness  and  terror,  till  just  ere  the  dawn  of  the  Sabbath 

morning,  his  neighbors  departed  to  their  several  places  of 
abode. 


14:8  OTHER   FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOIXGS. 


CHAPTER  IX  • 

THE  SITUATION. 

Peace  fool ! 
I  would  have  peace  and  quietness,  but  the  fool  will  not." 

Shakespere. 

Uncle  Jesse,  as  the  reader  is  by  this  time  aware,  was  a 
mau  of  influence  among  his  neighbors,  few  of  whom,  of 
either  race,  were  capable  of  such  just  and  comprehensive 
views  of  their  political  and  social  relations. 

Little  influenced  by  color  prejudice  (which  is  common  to 
both  races,  though  from  widely  different  causes  and  in 
various  degrees,  throughout  the  United  States),  he  possessed 
great  reverence  for  law,  as  such;  a  fact  mainly  due  to  a 
residence  of  several  years  among  the  law-abiding  people  of 
that  portion  of  the  State  of  Ohio  known  as  The  Western 
Reserve,  at  a  period  when  his  mind  was  peculiarily  receptive. 

Born  a  slave  in  1834,  he  siezed  tlie  first  opportunity 
offered  by  the  late  war,  to  flee  from  bondage  and  learn  to 
live  like  a  man. 

Aunt  Phebe  preferred  to  wait  with  their  two  little  chil- 
dren, her  invalid  mother,  and  aged  grandfather,  for  the 
coming  of  the  "Yankees,"  which  was  confidently  and  hope- 
fully expected. 

And  so  in  1867  Uncle  Jesse  returned  and  found  her  and 
their  children  free,  and  thriving,  in  the  same  cabin  in  which 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  149 

he  left  them,  though  the  "  big  house  "  Tvas  vacant,  and  the 
plantation  in  new  hands. 

At  that  time  the  Southern  States  were  rife  vv'ith  utter 
lawlessness  and  Litter  animosities;  and  acts  of  malicious 
and  cruel  outrage  were  frequent  occurrences. 

From  the  first  settlement  of  the  State,  society  had  been 
divided  into  many  and  antagonistic  classes,  throughout 
which,  however,  prevailed  an  universal  and  sycophantic 
aping,  each  class  of  that  above  it;  while  the  upper  stratum 
sat  in  serene  security  of  social  distinction — fortune  or  mis- 
fortune, jDcrsonal  respectability  or  degradation,  culture  or 
ignorance,  plethora  or  poverty,  all  were  forgotten  or  ob- 
scured in  the  ppnumbra  of  that  formidable  and  enigmatical 
word  hirthj  untitled  though  it  must  be. 

Now  that  the  old  landmarks  had  to  some  extent  been 
swept  away,  there  followed  a  general  and  tumultuous 
scramble  in  the  debris,  each  being  anxious  to  secure  all  that 
was  possible,  or  failing,  to  resent  the  affront  of  another's 
succes'. 

Tims  the  worst  elements  and  characteristics  of  every  class 
were  made  prominent. 

Families  bred  in  opulence,  and  accustomed  to  claim  the 
unpaid  toil  of  others  as  their  rightful  due,  and  to  believe 
political  leadership  and  oligarcal  control  their  birth-right, 
and  who,  liketlieir  ancestors  for  generations,  cherished  con- 
tempt for  all  who  worked  for  their  own  subsistence,  found 
extreme  humiliation  in  laboring  for  their  own  bi'ead,  and 
submitting  to  the  legal  restrictions  imposed  by  the  general 


150  OTHER  FOOLS  AXD  THEIR  DOINGS, 

government,  controlled  as  it  was  by  those  they  had  former- 
ly derided  as  the  "mud-sills"  of  the  Xorth,  even  though 
those  restrictions  were  equitable  and  generous.  In  resent- 
ment of  the  equal  citizenship  conferred  upon  their  former 
chattled  slaves,  they  committed,  and  defended  in  each  other* 
such  outrages  upon  the  persons  and  jDroperty  of  the  negroes 
and  resident  northern  whites,  as  are  not  even  admissable 
between  civilized  enemies  at  open  war. 

Xot  n.  few  planters  who  formerly  owned  thousands  of 
acres  of  land,  and  from  three  to  five  thousand  slaves, 
were,  by  the  failure  of  the  Rebellion,  for  the  success  of  which 
they  had  staked  all  their  possessions,  as  jioor  as  the  "cracker" 
families,  which  had  formerly '•  squatted"  like  cateri^illars 
and  locusts  upon  the  skirts  of  their  plantations.  They  were 
eA'en  sometimes  subjected  to  these  as  magistrates  and  offi- 
cials, as  they  often  were  to  their  former  slaves. 

This  haughty  planter-race,  having  utterly  failed  in  its 
last  great  pretension  in  bitterness  of  spirit  still  cherished 
its  disdain  for  those  it  could  not  conquer,  into  which  dis- 
dain the  education  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  of 
irresjyojisihle  oicnership  of  laborers  has  concentrated  the 
egotism,  the  selfishness  and  the  cruelty  thus  engendered. 

The  intelligence  of  this  class  was  never  commen- 
surate with  its  wealth.  Schools  v^'ere  necessarily  few  in 
the  South  during  the  existence  of  slavery,  and  family 
feuds  and  favoritisms  notoriously  controlled  the  distribu- 
tion of  the  honors  of  those  that  did  exist,  and  social  and 
political  distinction  dej^ended  upon  culture  in  no  degree. 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  151 

Hence  there  was  little  to  spur  the  laggard,  or  to  encourage 
and  inspire  genius,  and  the  actual  ignorance,  or  at  best, 
the  superficial  scholarship  of  "  the  first  families"  was  as- 
tounding. Since  the  war,  poverty  and  aversion  to  the  North 
have  materially  lessened  southern  patronage  of  northern 
schools,  and  under  the  ''carpet-bag"adrainstrat!on  the  high- 
er schools  of  the  State,  and  the  common  schools  in  country 
districts  in  which  the  aggregate  number  of  pupils  did  not 
warrant  the  opening  of  more  than  one  school,  were 
accessible  to  colored  students;  a  recognition  of  equality 
which  the  whites  would  not  tolerate;  and  so  they  consigned 
themselves  to  ignorance. 

The  class  formerly  known  as  "sand-hillers,"  "crackers," 
or  "poorvvhite  trash,"  were  lazy,  filthy  and  ignorant, 
and  frequently  degraded  below  the  level  of  the  slaves. 
These,  with  the  class  next  above  them  in  the  social  scale — 
the  "working  people,"  who  owned  few  or  no  slaves, 
and  labored  with  their  own  hands  on  small  farms,  or  as 
mechanics,  experienced  a  social  promotion  nearly  equal  to 
that  of  the  slaves  ;  as  emancipation,  the  ravages  of  war, 
and  a  more  general  distribution  of  land,  through  confisca- 
tion and  sales  for  delinquent  taxes,  broke  up  the  land  mon- 
opoly and  political  retainershi])  which  had  so  long  existed 
to  the  oppulence  of  the  planters,  and  the  semi-mendicity  of 
the  lower  classes. 

The  confederate  service  had  also  given  acceptable  occu- 
pation and  v.-ages,  and  even  some  inferior  military  titles  to 
men  who  had  formerly  begged,  or  stolen,  or  staiwed,  rather 


152  OTHER  FOOLS  AXD   THEIR  DOINGS. 

than  earn  their  bread  b}-  lionest  labor;  and  such  military 
glory,  won  in  defence  of  "  The  Lost  Cause,"  could  not  be 
utterly  ignored  in  the  contest  for  recognition  of  some  sort. 

The  class  called  *' respectable  jjeoiDle,"  consisting  of 
artists,  merchants  and  professional  men,  teachers,  &c., 
whose  title  to  recognition  rested  upon  wealth  and  culture, 
probably  received  the  change  with  the  most  equilibrity, 
while  the  freedmen  had  everything  to  gain,  and  nothing  to 
lose. 

The  most  ignorant  of  them  well  knew  that  it  was  to 
"de  Yankees,''  "de  Lincum  sogers,"  de  United  States,"  or 
"Mar's  Lincom,"  that  they  were  indebted  for  emancipa- 
tion. The  raving  of  their  masters  against  northern  aboli- 
tionists was,  to  them,  quite  sufficient  evidence  that  some- 
how the  war  had  its  origin,  near  or  remote,  in  northern 
antagonism  to  slavery. 

History  will  never  fail  to  record  the  good  behavior  of 
the  freedmen  of  the  southern  states  of  America,  the 
causes  of  which  were  manifold. 

The  experiences  and  legends  of  the  slaveship,  and  cen- 
turies of  repetition  of  similar  evidence,  had  taught  the 
African  that  there  were  other  powers,  stronger  than  brute 
force,  which  he  could  not  command. 

Again,  he  was  not  self-liberated.  The  brother  of  his 
master  had  been  his  deliverer  (whatever  may  have  been 
his  motive),  and  gratitude,  the  moral  attraction  of  gravi- 
tation, is  the  strongest  moral  power  in  the  universe;  which 
the  All-Father  well  knew  when  He  sent  His  Son  to  suffer. 


OTHEll  FOOLS  AND  THEIK  DOINGS.  153 

This  delivcMX-r,  this  brother,  believed  in  hno,  the  invisi- 
bility a,Kl  incomprehensibility  of   which  appealed  to  the 
supe'rstition   of  the   emancipated  slaves.      This  northern 
brother  had  strngslod  desperately  with  the  tyrant,  poured 
out  his  treasure  and  shed  his  blood  without  st.nt  >n  the 
conflict;   and  having  conquered,  stood  with  weapons  .n 
either  band,  to  command  the  peace  in  the  name  ofth.s 
invisible  and  incomprehensible  la.;   while  the  vel.g.ous 
industrial,  and  educational  influences  which  ne  summoned 
from  his  northern  home,  coming  up  while  yet  the  atmo  - 
pbere  was  tremulous  with  the  sounds  of  expir.ng  confl.. 
brought  food  for  hungry  bodies,  intellects  and  sou  s;  hc^  1- 
i„„  for  lacerated  spirits;  and  the  vesture  of  a  bet  er  cn.l^ 
iza'tion  for  the  nakedness  of  the  black,  and  the  mad-chafed 
form  of  the  white. 

Women  who  pressed  to  the  b-^-^"^  ^f  ; /J,,: 
water  for  the  ligs  of  the   dying,  and   a  pillow  for   the 
:lded  head  that  lay  ttpon  the  bloody  s.ar  ,  from  bear 
baptized  to  self-sacrifice,  and  pens  lit  wtth  the  zea   of    . 
Nazarene,  sent  white-winged,  burning  messages   all   o. 
the  new  -reading  North;    and  while  from  thousands  of 
homes  there,  brave  men  came  with  flauntmg  flags,  and 
beating   drums,   and   booming  cannons,   sn,gmg   as  they 

marched : 

•'  We  are  coming,  Father  Abr'am. 
Three  liundred  thousand  more," 

^  "  We'll  hang  JeS  Davis  on  a  sour  apple  tree." 


15-i:  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOIXGS. 

(and  voiuntarily  broke  that  pledge,)  from  out  those  same 
homes  stole  a  procession  of  women,  not  clandestinely,  not  tim- 
idly, but  brave  of  soul  and  strong  of  heart  and  inflexible  of 
purpose,  though  without  ostentation.  The  bible  and  spell- 
ing-book were  their  onl}-  weapons,  and  their  song  was  of 
"  the  mercies  of  the  Lord  forever,"  and  their  "  trust  under 
the  feathers  of  His  wingsl"  "  Neither  the  terror  by 
night,"  "  the  arrow  by  day,"  "  the  pestilence  in  darkness," 
nor  "  destruction  at  noon,"  nor  the  "  thousand  falling  on 
their  right  hand,"  and  on  their  left,  could  make  them 
afraid;  "because  they  had  made  the  Lord  their  strength, 
even  tlie  Most  High  their  refuge."  They  went  forth  to 
"tread  upon  the  lion  and  the  adder,  the  young  lion  and  the 
dragon."  Scorn,  insult,  slander,  poverty,  loneliness,  sick- 
ness and  death,  they  trampled  under  their  feet  ;  for 
"  through  the  v^-ork  of  the  Lord  were  they  made  glad,"  and 
they  "triumi^hed  in  the  work  of  His  hands." 

Away  on  in  the  Elysian  fields  of  heaven,  when  the  cycles 
of  eternity  shall  have  encircled  tlie  universe,  and  rolled 
Lack  upon  their  track  in  such  repeated  and  intricate  mazes 
as  only  the  Lifinite  mind  can  trace,  they  shall,  receive  from 
the  lips  of  the  ransomed  of  all  nations,  "  the  blessing  of 
those  once  ready  to  peTish";  and  the  blessed  assurance 
that  the  torch  they  lit  in  the  freedman's  hut,  lit  a  beacon 
that  illumined  the  world. 

If  the  South  is  saved  to  civilization,  its  chief  human 
savior  was  "the  uii2:£rer  school-teacher." 

To  these  evidences  of  kindly  iiiterest  on  tlie  part  of  the 


OTHEFw  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  155 

Northern  people,  and  the  influence  of,  and  confidence  im- 
plied in  the  immediate  presence  of  feminine  representatives 
of  the  best  and  most  peaceable  element  of  the  North,  cer- 
tainly not  less  is  due  than  to  the  natural  timidity  of  the  race, 
or  their  great  faith  in  ultimate  Divine  deliverance,  which 
needed  intelligent  direction. 

Evidently  the  most  difficult  lesson,  and  yet  tiiat  most 
needed  by  ail  the  former  inhabitants  of  the  southern  states 
is  reverence  for,  trust  vi,  and  submission  to  law.  Tiie 
old  habit  of  irresponsible  authority,  of  domination  in- 
stead of  true  democracy — the  idea  that  the  sovereign  citizen 
may  be  superior  to  the  la^v  enacted  by  the  popular  will,  is 
hard  to  eradicate. 

Like  the  writhing  beheaded  serpent,  which  responds  with 
slow-dying  malice  to  the  glow  of  the  sun  that  does  not 
make  night  because  its  green  eyes  arc  sightless,  beheaded 
slaveocratic  feudalism  blindly  ejects  its  spite  at  inevit- 
able oncoming  civilization. 

Through  the  philanthropic  movements  which  have  been 
indicated,  an  entirely  new  ingredient  was  injected  amonf>- 
the  heterogeneous  elements  of  southern  society  vrhich 
were  seeking  a  new  basis,  and  a  few  northern  soldiers, 
enamored  of  the  delicious  climate  and  naturally  pro- 
ductive soil  to  which  war  and"  conquest  had  introduced 
them,  and  from  which  slavery  h;id  rornierly  excluded 
them,  brought  their  families  from  Xijk'.k  ::i  homes,  or  mar- 
ried daughters  of  this  sunny  land,  and  became  permanent 
residents.    Then  followed  capitalists,  allured  by  the  numer- 


156  OTHER  FOOLS  AXD   THEIR  DOIXGS. 

ous  apparently  good  investments  the  almost  universal 
bankruptcy  afforded. 

"With  these  came  money,  and  such  industry,  enterprise, 
skill  and  public  spirit  as  ^vas  before  unknov/n  in  that 
slavery-cursed  laud;  and  the  pecuniary  results  of  M'hich  the 
Southerner  can  only  account  for  by  supposed  political  cor- 
ruption or  downright  stealing  from  the  public  funds — the 
most  familiar  means. 

Still  the  formerly  favored  class,  true  to  its  arrogance, 
and  not  ignored  by  those  accustomed  to  vrorship  at  its 
shrine,  ranks  the  possessor  of  one  of  its  patronymics, 
especially  if  garnished  by  military  title  Avon  or  sustained 
in  confederate  service,  among  the  most  enviable  of  men  ; 
for  "  The  Lost  Cause  "  is  as  dear  to  South  Carolinians  as 
ever — an  ideal  worshiped  all  the  more  devoutly  because  of 
its  unreality,  and  with  demonstration  necessarily  somewhat 
restrained. 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  157 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE    ATTACK. 

"Shepherd— Name  of  mcic}',  -when  was  this,  boy  ? 

Clo.— 2sow,  uow;I  have  not  winked  since  I  saw  these  sights; 
the  men  are  not  yet  cold  under  water,  nor  the  bear  lialf  dined  o  ;  the 
gentleman  ;  he's  at  it  now. 

Shep.— I  Woukl  I  had  been  by  to  have  helped  the  old  man  ! 

CIo.— I  would  you  had  been  by  the  ship's  side,  to  have  helped 
her  ;  there  your  charity  would  have  lacked  footing. 

*  -X  *  -jf  *  ^  *  *  j^  ^ 

Shep.— This  is  fairy  gold,  boy,  and  'twill  prove  so  ;  up  with  it, 
keep  it  close  ;  home,  home,  the  next  way.  ""^         ^-         *         * 

Clo.— Go  you  the  next  M-ay  with  your  findings ;  I'll  go  see  if  the  bear 
be  gone  from  the  gentleman,  and  how  much  he  hath  eaten  ;  they  are 
never  curst,  but  when  they  are  hungry;  if  there  be  any  of  him  left, 
I'll  bury  it."— Winter's  Tale— Shakespeare. 

Immediately  after  the  interview  of  the  four  colored  men 
with  General  Baker,  Rives  hastened  to  the  drill-room,  where 
he  soon  found  the  Captain  of  the  militia  comi^any. 

"Doc,"  said  he,  "Gen.  Baker  says  if  ^-ou  do  not  give  up 
the  guns,  he  will  melt  the  ball  down  before  ten  o'clock  to- 
night." 

"Judge,  just  step  this  way,"  and  the  Captain  took  hira 
through  a  communicating  door  into  his  own  bed-room  ad- 
joining 

"  General,"  said  he,  in  a  confidential  tone,"  yo'  are  the 
Major  General  of  the  militia  of  this  Division,  isn't  yo'  ?" 

"Yes." 

"Xow,  here.     I  am  willing  to  do  this.     I've  sent  for  the 


158  OTHER   FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

Colonel,  over  and  over,  three  times,  but  be  don't  come- 
Now,  wbile  I  believe  that,  under  the  law,  I  liave  no  right 
to  give  U2>  the  guns  to  yo'  but  yo'  being  the  General  of 
Militia,  I  will  give  yo'  these  guns  to  keep,  if  yo'  will  take 
'em  and  take  my  chances." 

"  *'I  have  no  right  to  take  those  guns  out  of  yourhands," 
replied  Hives,  (too  glad  that  it  was  so.)  "  The  law 
does  not  give  me  any  such  right,  and  I'm  not  going  to  de- 
mand them.  You  can  do  just  as  you  please.  I  want  the 
thing  to  be  settled,  if  possible,  but  I  don't  demand  the 
guns." 

"  Well,"  said  Captain  Doc,  "  if  yo'  don't  take  'em,  I 
don't  intend  to  give  'em  up  to  General  Baker." 

"  You  do  not  say  that  you  intend  to  fight  ?' 

''Xo,  sir,  I  don't  say  anything  of  the  kind;  but  I  don't 
intend  to  give  up  the  guns  to  General  Baker;  but  if  yo'  will 
take  'em  to  relieve  tlie  responsibility  of  blood  being  shed 
in  town  from  me,  I  will  give  'em  to  yo'." 

"No.  I  have  no  right  to  demand  them.  Yo'  must  use 
your  own  discretion  about  it,"  replied  Rives. 

"Well,  if  that  is  the  way  yo'  are  going  to  leave  me,  I'm 
not  going  to  give  'em  to  General  Baker." 

Doc  then  hastily  penned  the  following  note  and  dis- 
patched it  : 

"  Gen.  Baker  : — These  guns  are  j^laced  in  ray  hands,  and 
I  am  responsible  for  them,  and  have  no  right  to  give  them 
up  to    a  private  citizen;  I  cannot  surrender  them  to  you." 
Signed. 


OTHER  FOOLS   AXD   THEIR  DOINGS.  169 

A  reply  came. 

"I  must  have  the  guns  in  fifteen  minutes." 

"Well,"  Doc  coolly  remarked,  "then  he'll  have  to  take 
'em  by  force,  and  I  shall  not  be  responsible." 

He  Mas  in  the  armory  Avith  less  than  forty  men,  only 
twenty-five  of  whom  were  members  of  the  militia  com- 
pany; the  oihers  having  fled  there  unarmed,  for  protection. 

"Now  boys,"  said  he,  "  we  may  as  well  settle  down  to 
work,  for  we  are  in  for  it,  shor.  Yo'  keep  away  from  them 
windows,  for  any  of  'em  will  be  firing  in  here.  I'll  go  on 
top  of  the  roof,  and  see  what  they're  doing." 

So  saying  he  ascended  through  a  scuttle,  and  took  ob- 
servations. 

General  Baker  was  riding  hither  and  thither,  assisted  by 
his  aid,  the  Colonel  of  the  same  name.  As  he  waved  his 
gloved  hand,  and  indicated  their  positions,  the  men  imme- 
diately assumed  them. 

First,  twenty-five  or  thirty  men  were  stationed  in  front 
of  the  armory.  The  building,  as  has  already  been  stated, 
stood  facing  the  river,  and  the  broad  street  before  it  was 
not  less  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  width. 

Next,  behind  an  abutment  of  one  of  the  railroad  bridges 
fifteen  or  twenty  more  were  placed,  and  still  further  down 
the  stream  thirty  or  forty  more.  A  continuous  double  line 
of  cavalry  encircled  the  entire  square,  while  up  the  river's 
bank,  near  and  above  the  scene  of  the  encounter  of  the 
young  men  and  the  militia  company  on  the  4th,  stood  some 
hundreds  more  in  reserve. 


160  OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR   DOIXGS. 

With  all  the  consequential  airs  of  an  officer  who  knows 
himself  for  a  great  General  about  to  win  for  his  already 
honor-bunlened  brow  fresh  wreaths  that  shall  be  nmarau- 
thine,  General  Baker  proceeded  (o  place  squads  of  men 
here  and  there,  on  the  corners  of  the  streets  and  in  other 
commanding  positions,  clear  across  the  sub-level  half-mile 
from  the  river  to  the  hills,  and  even  upon  its  slope,  till  all 
the  streets  were  thoroughly  picketed  and  guarded,  and 
escape  made  presumably  impossible.  Seeing  all  this  Captain 
Doc  descended  to  his  men,  and  distributed  tlieni  between 
the  windows,  and  in  the  front  corners  of  the  room,  under 
protection  of  the  walls. 

"Jes,  sec  'dem  five  men's  settin'  on  deir  bosses, 
ovah  Mar  on  de  rivah-bank!"  said  corporal  Free,  rising 
upon  his  knees  from  his  crouching  position  1)g]ov\^  one  of 
the  high  windows,  and  peeping  out.  "  Cap'n,  I  don't  like  de 
looks  of  tings  out  dar!" 

"TVell,  then,  don't  lookout,  but  make  yor'self  easy,  and 
stay  right  where  I  put  yo'." 

"That's  jest  what  vre're  bound  to  do,  Cap'n;  we'll  make 
ourselves  easy  and  peaceable." 

Dare  comes  Gen'l  Baker  from  down  street,  on  hossback, 
an'  he  an't  more'n  fifteen  yards  from  'di.5  building!  Now 
he's  motioned  his  hand  to  dem  (ive  mens,  an'  dcy  done  rode 
rio-ht  off  down  towards  de  road  brid2:el  Oh,  laws!  I  seed  a 
mighty  big  crowd  o'  Georgia  white  men  coming  up  de  street, 
Y/id  guns  in  deir  hands;"  and  he  hurriedly  crouched  down 
to  his  former  position,  little  knowing  that  the  city  police. 


OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  161 

stationed  at  the  bridge  in  extra  numbers,  allowed  no  colored 
people  to  pass. 

"Harry  Gaston  and  a  posse  is  running  all  the  women  and 
children  out  of  the  streets,  that  was  looking  over  this  way!" 
said  another  militia  man,  who  stood  peeping  out  at  the  side 
of  another  window.  "  Boys,  it  do  look  like  thar'  was  g^voine 
to  be  a  light  here,  shor!" 

"  The  Intendant  asked  for  time  to  get  the  women  and 
children  out  o'  town,  an'  General  Baker  said  he'd  give  "  half 
an  hour,"  said  another. 

^'  0?itis Jiff ee}i  mumtes,  it  was,'^  roared  Mansan  Handle," 
"  Onus  fifteen  minutes  to  get  'em  all  out,  an'  he  swore 
about  that.     I'm  glad  }ni/  woman's  gone." 

The  souml  of  rapping  at  the  door  below  was  heard,  and 
a  voice  called: 

"Doc,  Captain  Doc!" 

"  Don't  none  o'  yo'  go  near  the  windows,  but  just  yo' 
keep  still  where  yo'  be,"  said  the  Captain,  who  then  threw 
up  a  sash,  and  looking  down,  asked  what  was  wanted. 

"You  see,  Captain,  that  General  Baker  has  all  his  men 
ready  to  attack  you,  but  he  gives  you  one  more  chance. 
The  fifteen  minutes  are  up,  and  he  sent  rae  to  ask  if  you 
are  going  to  surrender,  and  give  the  guns  up?" 

"I  can't  give  them  up  to  him.  I  don't  desire  no  fuss, 
and  we've  got  out  of  the  street  into  our  hall  for  the  safety 
of  our  lives,  and  there  we're  going  to  remain;  but  we  are 
not  going  to  give  up  the  guns  to  anybody  without  authority 
to  take  'em." 


162  OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

The  messenger  galloped  back  to  his  chief. 

It  was  a  time  of  too  intense  feeling  for  speech,  in  that 
hall.  A  brief  moment  of  suspense,  and  the  sound  of  hoofs 
was  heard,  and  tlie  horsemen  who  had  been  stationed  in 
front  of  the  building  removed  to  a  street  in  the  rear. 

Then  down  by  the  river-bank  came  a  flash,  a  quick,  sharp 
report,  and  a  small  column  of  smoke  rose  straight  up  into 
the  air.  It  was  a  signal  gun,  and  quickly  followed  by  a 
volley  from  the  men  stationed  behind  the  abutment  of  the 
railroad  bridge. 

"  Crash  !  crash  !  crash  I "  came  the  bullets  like  hail 
through  the  glass  windows,  for  the  strong  shutters  had 
not  been  closed;  the  little  band  preferring  exposure  to 
sufiocation  and  io^norance  of  the  enemies  maneuvers. 

As  the  colored  men  had  less  than  five  rounds  of  cartridges, 
they  reserved  their  fire  twenty  or  thirty  minutes.  Then 
Captain  Doc  gave  the  order.  The  discipline  of  the  men 
was  excellent,  and  their  small  supply  was  eked  out  by 
irregular  and  infrequent  discharges. 

"Good  Laud!"  exclaimed  several  at  once,  after  firing 
a  light  volley. 

A  young  man  down  by  the  abutment  was  seen  to 
throw  up  his  arms  and  fall. 

"  That  was  Merry  Walter,"  said  one  of  the  men. 

"  AVas  it?"  asked  Doc.  "  He's  gone  at  his  work  hind  side 
before.  Kot  more'n  two  hours  or  so  ago,  he  said,  "We're 
gwoine  to  kill  all  the  colored  men  in  Baconsville  to-day, 
and  then  we'll  take  the  w^omen  and   children,  and  then  I'm 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  163 

going  to  kill  all  that  are  against  me."  That's  just  the 
words  he  said." 

"Oh!"  was  the  general  exclamation." 

"  Tliafs  just  mcfidP'  said  Friend  Robins.  "  But  he's 
gone  to  meet  it.  I  a'n't  prepared  to  die  myself,  but  I 
shouldn't  like  to  meet  the  Laud  right  after  saying  such  a 
thinsj  as  that." 

"  We  may  all  have  to  meet  Him  'fo'  dis  job  is  done," 
said  another. 

The  attack  commenced  about  six  o'clock,  and  soon 
every  pane  of  glass  in  the  numerous  windows  was,  strewed 
in  fragments  upon  the  floor,  yet  not  one  of  the  men  was 
injured,  and  Merry  Walter  was  the  only  white  man  harmed 
during  the  whole  affray  except  one  slightly  wounded  by 
a  comrade. 

Night  was  coming  on  apace,  calm,  but  moonless;  and 
Captain  Doc  went  upon  the  roof  again  to  take  observations. 
Several  of  his  men  were  already  there,  though  each  un- 
aware of  the  presence  of  the  others,  on  account  of  the  pecu- 
liar construction  of  the  roof." 

Doc  there  discovered  that  the  attacking  party  was 
gradually  closing  up  towards  the  armory,  and  he  immedi- 
ately descended  again.  He  found  the  men  still  talking, 
and  seeming  to  have  become  accustomed  to  the  straggling 
shots  that  occasionally  visited  them. 

"  I  think  if  I  is  to  go,  I'd  send  some  of  'em  ahead  o'  me 
if  I  had  a  gun,"  said  Pompey  Conner,  "  but  I  don't  mean 
to  go  if  I  can  help  it." 


164:  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOIXGS. 

"Yo're  mighty  quiet,  Watta,"  said  Doc." 

Wliat's  the  use  of  talking?  Better  be  shooting.  It's  a 
pity  ^ye  cannot  clear  out  all  that  vermin."  (With  a  gesture 
of  disgust.) 

Half  an  hour  more  of  irregular  firing  against  the  brisk 
one  from  outside,  (where  the  enemy  continued  to  approach,) 
and  a  voice  was  heard  there:  "William  McFadden,  go 
across  the  river  and  bring  two  kegs  of  powder,  and  we'll 
blow  this  building  up." 

"Bring  me  some  long  arms,  too — two  cannon — I  can't 
drive  these  nio-^rers  out  with  small  arms." 

Only  Captain  Doc  caught  the  order  fully,  but  he  recognized 
the  voices  respectively  of  Colonel  Pickens,*  Baker  and  the 
gallant  General,  and  sprung  upon  the  roof  again,  but  soon 
hastened  down,  and  quietly  slipped  from  tiie  hall  down  the 
stairs  of  his  private  apartments,  and  so  out  upon  the  street. 
Aided  by  the  darkness  and  his  own  dark  skin,  and  some  con- 
fusion just  commencing  in  the  hitherto  orderly  ranks  of  the 
enemy,  he  soon  found  the  weakest  point  in  the  surrounding 

*  Probably  a  descendant  of  a  valiant  Colonel  Pickens,  who, 
in  the  early  days  of  the  State's  history,  drove  a  hirsre  party  of 
Indians  from  their  homes.  They  took  refuge  in  a  deserted  house 
near  Little  River  in  the  present  County  of  Abbeville,  near  Aiken, 
Pickens  burned  them  there.  They  died  without  a  muni.ur;  the  few 
who  attempted  to  escape  were  driven  back  or  shot  by  the  surround- 
ing riflemen.  The  next  day  Captain  William  Black,  in  going  from 
Miller's  Block-house,  on  the  Savannah  River,  heard  a  chain  rattling 
near  the  ruins.  He  paused,  and  found  a  white  neighbor  baiting  his 
wolf  trap  with  apiece  of  one  of  the  dead  Indians."  History  of  the 
Upper  Counties  cf  South  Carolina  by  J.  H.  Logan,  A.  M.  pp  67-68. 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS.  165 

force.  Re-entering  the  ball  with  hammer,  saw  and  nails 
from  his  own  ample  supply,  he  tore  down  boards  from  a 
rough  partition  there,  and  constructed  a  rude  Jadder.  This 
he  fastened  securely  to  the  sill  of  one  of  the  rear  windows 
of  the  hall.  By  this  time  the  men  had  become  thoroughly 
alarmed;  and,  but  for  the  strong  controlling  influence  of 
their  CajDtain,  a  panic  must  have  occurred.  In  his  imme- 
diate presence,  however,  they  were  yet  controllable. 

"Here,  Lieutenant  Watta,  yo'  go  down  first,  and  re- 
ceive the  men;  and  all  yo'  men  follow  him.  Not  too  fast, 
now!  Some  of  us  will  keep)  firing  once  and  awhile,  and  so 
make  them  think  we  are  here  yet.  I'll  go  last,  but  yo'  re- 
ceive the  men,  and  keep  them  till  I  com-C.  I  know  just 
where  v\'e've  got  to  make  a  break,  and  I'll  get  yo'  all  off  if 
yo'  keep  cool,  and  not  get  excited;  though  yo'll  have  to 
fight  right  smart  to  get  out  even  the  best  way,  for  we  are 
surrounded." 

This  was  attempted,  but  when  the  brave  Captain  left  the 
dark,  deserted  hall,  and  reached  the  ground,  he  found  but 
fourteen  of  the  men  there. 

"AYhcre  is  Lieutenant  Watta?"  he  inquired.  "  He's  got 
excited  and  gone  off,  and  controlled  off  the  best  part  of  the 
Company.     He  wanted  to  take  us  along  too." 

"Vrdl,  men,  we  are  surrounded,  and  I  think  there  is 
over  three  thousand  men  here  in  Bacons ville,  and  there  is 
more  coming  over  from  the  city  all  the  time.  The  lower 
part  of  Market  street  is  completely  blocked  up  with  'em  for 
two  hundred  yards;  looks  like  as  thick  as  they  can  stand; 


IGG  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

and  in  Mercer  street  it's  the  same,  and  in  Main  street  the 
same.  But  riorht  in  front  of  the  buildinor  there  isn't  so 
many;  and  if  yo're  ready  to  fight  pretty  sharp  and  mind 
orders,  I'll  get  yo'  out  safe,  maybe. 

"We'd  best  go  up  to  Marmor's  office,  and  out  that  way. 
They  won't  expect  lis  to  go  up  street  towards  old  man 
Baker's;  they'll  expect  us  to  go  towards  the  city  bridge, 
or  to  Sharp's  hill." 

While  the  crowd  was  intent  upon  the  arrival,  placing, 
and  firing  off  the  cannon,  the  fifteen  men  reached  the 
street. 

"Here  they  come  I  Here  they  come!"  shouted  the  mob, 
as  the  men  sought  to  cross  Main  streat. 

The  numbers  against  them  were,  of  course,  overwhelm- 
ing; but  the  colored  men  were  fighting  for  life,  and  the 
darkness  and  their  dark  skins  were  to  their  advantage. 

They  dodged,  or  hid,  or  ran,  or  stood  and  fought  bravely, 
as  either  best  served  them;  till,  after  two  or  three  hours  of 
such  effort,  they  were  all  safe  together  out  of  the  town, 
in  a  strip  of  thick  bushes  which  bordered  "a  branch"  (a 
small  tributary  of  the  river),  in  one  of  Robert  Baker's 
fields.  Only  one  was  wounded,  and  he  not  disabled.  Here 
all  sat  down  to  rest  and  give  thanks  for  deliverance.  But 
the  brave  Captain  was  troubled  about  the  Lieutenant  and 
the  men  he  had  "controlled  off."  Pie  was  sure  they  would 
"get  squandered;"  and  that  if  they  did,  they  would  be 
killed. 

So,  leaving  his  comrades  with    many  injunctions  to   re- 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND  THEIR   DOINGS.  167 

main  there  quietly,  where  no  one  would  expect  them  to 
take  refuge,  he  returned,  and  through  numerous  hair-breadth 
escapes,  at  length  reached  the  besieged  square. 

The  most  of  the  liouses  there,  as  is  quite  common  in  the 
Soutli,  stood  upon  wooden  spiles,  or  short  brick  pillars,  for 
coolness  and  less  miasma. 

Imagination  is  active  and  potent  in  the  Southerner,  and 
his  contempt  and  resentment  towards  a  "nigger"  that  dares 
thwart  the  will  of  a  white,  feed  his  courage  best  when  the 
dark  skin  is  visible. 

So  there  stood  the  brave  Southerners  encircling  that  de- 
voted block,  and  firing  into  it  at  random,  no  one  having 
yet  attempted  search  under  the  houses  where  the  negroes 
would  be  the  most  likely  to  secrete  themselves. 

But  Captain  Doc,  escaping  the  bullets,  called  in  subdued 
tones  under  several  of  the  dwellings,  and  received  two  or 
three  responses. 

"  Yo'll  get  ketched  here,  bye-and-bye,"  said  he,  "  shor  as 
the  worl.     To'  come  along,  an'  I'll  got  yo*  in  a  better  place." 

With  the  end  of  his  gun  he  knocked  a  few  bricks 
from  the  walled  underpinning  of  a  building  that  was 
nearer  the  ground  than  the  others. 

"  Crawl  in,  an'  I'll  brick  yo'  up." 

They  obeyed  with  alacrity,  and  he  replaced  the  bricks 
and  went  in  search  of  other  parties. 

Looking  out  from  a  little  cornfield,  he  saw  one  of  the  men 
whom  he  sought,  run  across  an  adjacent  garden,  and  called 
to  him. 


168  OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOIXGS. 

Tlie  fugitive  was  the  Town  Marshal,  or  chief  of  police. 
Bewildered  by  fight,  or  iioL  recognizing  the  voice,  the  man 
ran  on  and  leaped  the  fence  into  Mercer  street.  The  moon 
had  now  arisen,  and  shone  very  brightly. 

"We've  got  younowl"  shouted  Harry  Gaston,  with  a  ter- 
rible oath;  and  with  several  of  his  comrades  immediately 
surrounded  Carr. 

"We've  got  you  now  !  You've  been  Town  Marshal 
lon<^  enouiTjh.  Goina:  around  here  and  arrestinor  white  men: 
but  3^ou  won't  arrest  any  more  after  to-night. 

"Mr.  Gaston,''  said  the  Marshal  with  the  assured  voice 
and  manner  of  an  innocent  man  Mr.  "  Gaston,  I  know  yo', 
and  will  ask  yo'  to  save  my  life.  I  havn't  done  anything 
to  yo'.     I  have  only  done  my  duty  as  Town  Marshal." 

" Y-e-s,"  replied  Gaston  with  a  sneer.  "Your  knowing 
me  a'n't  nothing.  I  don't  care  nothing  about  your  marshal- 
ship.  I  ha'n't  forgot  that  five  dollars  you  made  me  pay 
for  dipping  my  head  in  Ben's  Spring,  and  I'll  have  satisfac- 
tion to-night,  for  we're  going  to  kill  you;"  and  the  six  men 
all  fired  upon  the  unarmed  Marshal  at  once. 

"  Oh  Lord  !  Oh  Lord  !"  cried  the  unfortunate  man. 

"  You  call  on  the  Lord,  you ?''  t./id  they. 

"  Oh  Lord  !  Oh  Lord  !"  rang  out  loud  and  clear  upon 
the  midnight  air,  and  as  he  uttered  the  words  a  second 
time  they  fired  again,  and  he  fell. 

While  his  flesh  still  quivered,  southern  chivalry  pro- 
ceeded to  draw  a  pair  of  genteel  boots  from  his  feet,  and  a 
valuable  watch  from  his  pocket;  and  then  left  him  with  the 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS  169 

stars  gazing  into  his  dead  face,,  and  the  \vitnessing  angels 
noting  testimony  for  the  inquest  of  a  just  lieaven. 

Captain  Doe  had  climbed  upon  a  timber  of  the  railroad 
trestle,  and  was  iooking  through  the  tassels  of  corn  which 
grew  around  him  and  made  a  friendly  shade. 

"  By !"  said  one  of  the  ruffiams,  '•!  reckon  some  of 

us  had  better  go  over  in  that  corn-field.  There's  good 
hunting  thar,  I  reckon." 

Stealthily  Capt.  Doc  now  crept  between  the  corn-stalks 
diagonally  to  the  left,  till  he  reached  and  entered  Marmor's 
printing  office,  which  was,  like  the  Justice's  office,  connected 
with  his  dwelling.  Here  he  remained  an  hour  or  more, 
supposing  himself  to  be  alone,  and  listened  to  the  sounds 
of  violence  without,  and  of  manv  men  comiuGj  over  the 
long  bridge  from  the  city,  whooping  and  yelling  like 
demons. 

Then  came  blows  upon  the  front  door  of  the  office, 
threatening  its  destruction,  and  our  Captain  made  his  exit 
through  the  one  at  the  rear. 

When  Lieut.  Watta  had  "controlled  off"  more  than  half 
the  men  who  escaped  from  the  armory,  he  took  them  right 
into  the  teeth  of  the  eneni}-.  At  once  the  little  squad  was 
scattered  in  every  direction,  in  their  own  expressive  dialect, 
"squandered;"  but  most  of  them  soon  rendezvoused  in 
Marmor's  printing  office,  entering  at  the  back  door,  as  Doc 
and  his  men  had  done. 

"  Boys,  let's  run  out.  They'll  ketch  us  here,  shor,"  sug- 
gested  one  of  the  party,  and  opened  the  front    door,  but 


170  OTHER   FOOLS   .VXD   THEIR   DOINGS 

quickly  and  noiselessly  closed  it  again,  as  the  foe  were 
numerous  there. 

"  If  you  go  that  way,  you'll  get  killed,"  said  tbe  Lieu- 
tenant; and  all  immediately  ran  out  at  the  back  door,  and 
secreted  themselves  in  the  yards  and  under  the  houses;  all 
but  Corporal  Free,  who  crept  under  a  counter  in  the  office. 

When  the  door  was  eventually  broken  in,  and  the  mob 
proceeded  to  demolish  the  machinery  and  whatever  else 
they  could  find,  a  fragment  struck  the  wall,  and,  rebound- 
ing, threatened  the  concealed  head  of  the  Corporal,  Avho 
dodged,  and  thus  revealed  his  presence. 

*'  Hello  !  There's  a  great  nigger  poking  his  head  out,' 
exclaimed  the  rioters. 

**  I  surrender  !  I  surrender,"  cried  the  poor  fellow,  as 
they  dragged  him  out.  "Where  is  Gen.  Baker?  Where 
is  Gen.  Baker?" 

"  Who  is  this  ?"  asked  one  of  the  white  men,  pausing  in 
his  work  of  demolition,  and  approaching  where  the  light 
of  their  lantern  fell  upon  the  face  of  their  captive. 

"Why  it's  John  Free.  Don't  yo'  know  me? — de  man 
dat  libed  neighbor  to  yo',  Tom  Sutter,  for  a  year  or  mo'?" 
replied  the  prisoner.  "I'm  John  Free,  John  Free.  I'b' 
know  I'm  a  honest  man  as  don't  do  nobody  no  harm.  I 
wants  to  see  Gen.  Baker." 

" you  !"  said  the  white  man  Tom  Sutter,  look- 
ing down  into  the  dark  face,  "you're  one  of  Capt.  Doc's 
militia-men,  first  corporal.     We'll  fix  yow  to-night." 

"  Oh,  please  send  Gen.  Baker  to  me  if  yo'  please.     He  is 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THf:iR  DOINGS.       171 

a  luLTh-toned  gein'nian,  I've  heard  'era  say,  anrl  lie  won't  let 
any  of  bis  men  hiii't  a  prisoner  dat  surrenders,  I  tell  yo' 
I  surrender  !     I  surrender  !" 

"  You  go  to !     ^Ve're  going  to  fix  you  pretty  soon ;" 

and  beating  bim  with  tbeir  guns,  they  dragged  bim  out 
at  the  front  door,  and  down  Main  and  3Iarket  streets, 
to  a  place  where  fifty  or  sixty  ruffians  ("  the  good  people  of 
South  Carolina'')  stood  shoulder  to  shoulder  in  a  circle 
and  backed  by  a  crowd  of  hundreds,  were  guarding  thirty 
or  forty  other  unarmed  captives. 

A  demoniac  howl  of  delight  arose  from  the  drunken, 
blood-thirsty  throng  on  his  approach;  and  as  each  victim 
arrived,  the  ''high-toned  gentleman"  and  "chivalrous 
General  and  his  aids  applauded  their  subordinates  v^•ith — 
"  Good  I  boys,  good  !  (with  oaths).  Turn  your  hounds  loose, 
and  bring  the  last  nigger  in  !  Can't  you  find  that— Capt. 
Doc  ?" 

There  Corporal  Free  found  his  first  and  second  lieuten- 
ants, and  with  them  and  the  others  he  was  compelled  to  sit 
down    in  the  dust  of  the  street. 

While  Capt.  Doc  stood  at  the  back  of  Marmor's  office, 
undecided  which  way  to  flee,  and  hearing  the  work  of  des- 
t'-nction  and  the  pleadings  of  the  captured  man  within,  he 
looked  across  the  gardens  to  his  own  house,  and  saw  it 
all  alight,  and  men  there  breaking  furniture,  pictures  and 
mirrors  dashing  upon  the  floor,  and  destroying  beds  and 
clothing.  They  had  also  commenced  to  scour  the  entire 
square  for  their  prey. 


172  OTHER  FOOLS  AXD  THEIR  DOINGS. 

He  leaped  a  fence  which  separated  Marmor  s  back  yard 
from  his  garden,  and  as  he  did  so  a  gruff  voice  called 
"Hall!" 

At  the  same  instant  the  old  time  slave-hunter  Baker, 
rushed  from  Dan  Lemfield's  back  door,  pistol  in  hand,  and 
fired. 

<' liim!     I've  got  him  I"  said  the  gray-haired 

sinner,  as  he  stooped  to  examine  what  had  a  moment  before 
been  the  habitation  of  an  immortal  soul,  now  fled  for  pro- 
tection to  the  High  Court  of  the  Universe. 

Urged  by  his  host,  the  old  man  re-entered  the  house, 
repeating  as  a  sweet  morsel  to  his  tongue,  "  I've  got  him  ! 
I've  got  him  I"  though  ignorant  what  "  nigger  "  he  had  got. 

J^ut  had  he  ? 

"  Fear  not  them  which  can  kill  the  body,  and  after  that 
have  no  more  that  they  can  do." 

Our  Captain  now  crept  softly  through  the  little  corn- 
field which  occupied  the  centre  of  the  square,  diagonally, 
to  the  extreme  corner  ;  to  the  dwelling  and  office  of  the 
Postmaster,  and  made  his  way  to  a  second-stoiy  verandah 
wliich  extended  the  entire  length  and  breadth  of  the  two 
rear  sides  of  the  edifice.  This  verandah  was  thickly  lat- 
ticed, but  a  few  strips  were  broken  oft,  higli  up  on  the  end 
next  Market  street. 

There  he  stood,  looking  down  upon  "  the  dead-ring  "  we 
iiLivo  ali-eady  described,  till  day  lit  the  east. 

3Iann  Harris  was  a  large,  black  man — a  porter  in  a 
.-tore  in  the  city  opposite,  and  he  sat  among  the  other  pris- 


OTHER  FOOLS  A:n'D    THEIR  DOIXGS.  173 

oners  in  the  dust  of  the  street  almost  beneath  Doc's  feet. 
Having  conveyed  his  invalid  wife  to  a  place  of  safety, 
he  had  returned  to  jiroiect  his  property.  He  sauntered 
about  the  streets,  watching  the  current  of  events  while 
that  remained  safe,  and  then  retired  to  his  otvti  dwell- 
ing, probably  supi)osing  that  "every  man's  hout.e  is  his 
f'astle,"  and  he  would  there  be  at  once  beyond  the 
reach  of  attack,  and  the  temptation  to  resentment.  Peep- 
ing down  from  a  second-story  window  (for  he  closed  the 
house  to  give  it  the  appearance  of  being  deserted),  he  saw 
'old    mm    r>aker '   and   his    son    Hanson  standincr   at  the 

o 

corner  oc  his  house,  pistols  in  hands. 

His  inoffensive  neighbor  Pincksney  approached,  and  was 
about  to  pass. 

"AVhere  are  you  going  ?"  demanded  Baker. 

"I'm  froin^:  to  the  drill-room." 

"You  can't  go." 

A  biief  parley  resulted  in  a  repetition  of  the  prohibi- 
tion, "  I  tell  you,  you  can't  go,  and  you  may  as  well  go 
back!"  emphasized  with  an  oath. 

"All  light,"  and  the  colored  man  walked  back.  Soon 
another  attemjjted  to  pass  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  way. 

"  AVhere  are  you  going  ?"  shouted  Baker. 

"  Going  about  ray  business  !  " 

{A  fearful  oath).  "  You'd  better  go  back,  or  I'll  shoot 
you!" 

The  young  man  retreated  precipitately,  and  hid  in  a 
hack  yard. 


174  OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

Soon  after  this  the  attack  opened,  and  !Mann  Harris  sat 
in  a  back  room  of  his  home,  listening  to  the  terrible  sounds 
for  hours  ;  or  with  unshod  feet  crept  across  the  floor  lest  a 
footfall  might  be  heard  by  some  lurking  foe,  and  watched 
the  flashing  of  guns  from  the  Avindows  of  the  armory. 

Then  followed  the  booming  of  cannon.  *' Good  GodI" 
he  exclaimed,  "  we  is  all  done  killed!  They  will  shoot 
down  ever}^  house  in  the  town!  But  I'll  have  to  take  it  a8 
it  comes." 

He  heard  the  shout,  "Here  they  come!  Here  they 
come!"  and  heard  Baker  and  his  friends  Are  upon  the 
negroes  as  they  crossed  the  street,  and  Doc's  men  fire  in 
return. 

Four  times  after  this  the  cannon  shook  the  windows,  as 
it  belched  forth  its  canister,  and  sent  terror  through  the 
town  and  surrounding  country. 

The  sound  of  small  arms  continued  in  various  jmrts  of 
the  village,  while  the  debauched  desperadoes  souglit  their 
victims  in  their  hiding-places. 

Then  the  familiar  stentorian  voice  of  John  Carr,  crying, 
"  Oh  Lord  !  Oh  Lord!"  and  the  succeeding  volley  which 
silenced  it,  struck  terror  into  tlie  poor  man's  soul,  and  he 
fell  upon  his  knees  alone  in  the  darkened  room,  and  with 
forehead  upon  the  floor,  and  trembling  in  every  limb,  he 
whispered,  "God  Almighty,  I'm  an  awful  bad  man!  I  a'n't 
prepared  to  die.     Oh^  save  me,  Jesus  Christ!  " 

The  discharge  of  firearms  nearly  ceased,  at  length, 
but  was  succeeded  bv  loud  shouts  and  sounds  of  violence 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND  THEIR  DOINGS.  175 

and  cursing,  the  shrieks  of  women,  and  the  cries  of  little 
children,  and  the  alarm  of  fire — for  the  ruffians  dra^i^ged 
the  helpless  innocents  from  their  houses,  some  of  which 
the}^  sot  on  fire,  in  their  zeal  to  arrest  every  '  nigger '  and 
*  radical.' 

"  Harris'  house,  and  that  of  General  Rives,  joined  and 
communicated  by  folding  doors  :  indeed,  were  only  differ- 
ent apartments  of  the  same  dwelling. 

The  sound  of  numerous  heavy  feet  was  soon  heard  upon 
the  porch.     A  blow,  and  Rives'  door  flew  open. 

The  occupants  had  fled,  but  the  shouts  and  oaths,  the 
heavy  blows,  and  cracking  furniture,  and  crashing  crockery 
and  glass,  to^d  that  "  the  white-livered  Judge "  was  no 
exception  when  Republicans  must  suffer. 

"Oh  laws!"  said  Harris,  mentally,  "from  the  sound  of 
that  smashing  up  of  things  and  going  on,  I  feel  pretty  bad 
myself!  Though  they  has  done  all  the  shooting  niggers 
in  the  street,  the  next  turn  will  be  mine,  shor!  " 

He  stood  in  the  hall,  ready  for  exit  through  the  front 
door,  and  when  he  heard  the  butts  of  their  guns  strike 
upon  the  folding  doors  which  he  had  secured  the  best  he 
could,  he  walked  out  upon  tlie  porch. 

Ten  or  twelve  blood-thirsty  men  stood  at  the  foot  of  the 
steps,  and  vociferated, 

*•'  Come  down,  you big  nigger!  come  down!  " 

"  I  ha'n't  done  nothing,"  said  Harris. 

"  Xo,  none  of  you  ha'n't  done  nothing,"  was  the  re- 
sponse, while  as  many  as  could,  laid   hold   upon   him,   and 


176  OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DODs'GS. 

speedily,  though  not  tenderly,  conducted  him  to  the  "dead- 
ring." 

"Let  me  stand  up,"  said  he,  attempting  to  rise  from  the 
dust  where  they  had  seated  him.  "A  man  can't  see  outside 
at  all, — cant  see  among  the  Avhite  folks  at  all." 

"You  sit  down  there,  you  great  big  niggerl"  said  little 
Gaston,  sticking  him  with  a  gun ;  and  Mann  Harris  sat  down. 

The  next  moment,  with  a  great  shout  and  halloa.  Lieut- 
enant Watta  was  brought,  and  compelled  to  sit  down  close 
beside  Harris. 

"Good!  goodi  boys,"  shouted  the  great  General.  "But 
can't  you  get  that  Captain?    I  want  that  Captain,  now." 

"What  sort  of  a  lookins^  man  is  he?" 

"  Oh,  he's  a  saucy-looking  fellow,  and  has  side  whiskers 
and  a  moustache." 

"  I'll  write  it  down,  said  one  producing  a  pencil.  Failing 
to  find  paper  in  any  of  his  pockets,  he  turned  towards  the 
moonlight,  and  wrote  it  upon  his  shirt  cuffs. 

"  Halloa  Tom,  let  me  have  your  pencil  while  I  write  it 
upon  my  shirt-front,"  said  another.  The  starch  makes  it  as 
good  as  paper.     We'll  catch  him  before  long  now." 

Little  did  they  think  he  was  just  above  their  heads, 
w^atching  their  writing. 

Watta's  white  blood,  which  had  boiled  and  seethed  all 
day  and  in  the  early  evening,  had  spent  its  fury,  and  the 
gentler  nature  of  the  man  had  assumed  control. 

"  Oh,  they've  fotched  yoii,  Watta,"  said  Harris,  really 
more  alarmed  for  him  than  for  himself. 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  177 

"Mann,"  said  Watta  in  a  low  tone,  "what  do  you  think 
of  this?" 

"I  don't  know  what  to  think  of  it." 

"  Do  you  think  they  Avill  kill  any  of  us?" 

"  Y«cs  I  do,  just  so." 

"  Do  you  think  they  will  kill  me?" 

"  I  do  Watta;  that  I  do:  and  all  you  have  got  to  do  is  to 
pray  God  to  save  your  soul." 

" Oh,  my  poor  wife  and  children!''  cried  the  jDoor  man, 
softly,  folding  his  long  thin  hands  across  his  kne.  s  and 
dropped  his  head  in  the  anguish  of  despair. 

"Just  give  up  your  wife  and  children,  and  every 
thing  else,  and  be  prepared  to  die,"  said  Harris,  for 
they  are  going  to  kill  you.  There's  been  so  many  envious 
niggers  telling  lies  on  you,  and  the  white  folks  is  'alius' 
ready  to  believe  'em;  and  they  have  been  making  such 
threats  about  you,  and  I'm  satisfied  they'll  kill  you." 

"  Watta  bent  his  head  lower,  and  the  tears  fell  fast." 
"  That  you?"  asked  Harris  of  another. 
"Yes,   I  was    hid   under   my    own   house,  an'   'dey   was 
gwo'ine  to  shoot  me  dar,  an'  I  tole  'em  I  surrendered,  'an 
'dey  brung  me  heah." 

"And  Dan  Pipsie!  you  here  too?"  exclaim.ed  the  in- 
quisitive Harris. 

"Yes,  me  and  Eck  Morgan  was  on  top  o'  de  drill-room, 
along  wid  Sam  Henry  and  tree  or  fo'  more  of  'em.  We 
went  out  de  back  way  when  de  cannon  come,  an'  we  jumped 


178  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

Marmor's  fence,  an'  went  up  onto  his  shed,  an'  got  into  a 
back  window." 

"  Was  Marmor  there?" 

"  Xo,  nobody  wasn't  'dar;  only  jes  de  white  men  come 
'dar  an'  broke  open  de  house,  an'  de  out-houses,  an'  dry  goods 
boxes;  an'  w^e  could  see  'em  looking  to  see  if  dar  war  any 
niggahs'  dar.  Den'  dey  come  into  de  house,  an'  broke 
eb'ry  ting  up,  an'  carried  off  eb'ry  ting;  and  den  dey  just 
broke  open  de  do'  whar'  we  war;  an'  Ben  Grassy,  an'George 
TVellman,  'dey  jumped  out  o'  de  window  we  got  in  at,  an' 
I  don't  know  war'  dey  got  to;  but  de  men  dey  just  kotched 
us,  and  fetched  us  heab." 


OTHER   I'OOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  179 

CHAPTER  XI. 

A   MASSACRE. 

•'  Slaying  is  the  word, 
It  is  a  deed  iu  fusliion." 

Julius  C^sar. 

The  "dead-ring,"  as  Las  been  said,  was  on  Market  street, 
and  quite  near  the  Post  Master's  residence,  which  occupied 
the  corner  and  stood  flush  with  both  Market  and  Cook 
streets.  Captain  Doc  stood  in  the  upper  verandali,  ahnost 
over  the  heads  of  the  crowd  surrounding  "the  ring,"  and 
looked  down  upon  them. 

"  It  is  about  time  we  began  the  killing."  said  one  of  the 
crowd,  "  We've  been  hunting  and  capturing  long  enough. 
Xow  who  shall  be  killed?"' 

"  Kill  'em  all,  of  cose,"  leplied  one  of  his  fellows. 

"  We'd  better  find  out  what  Gen.  Baker  says,"  said  a 
third.  We'll  go  round  to  Dunn's  store,  and  see  what  he 
says.     Whatever  he  says,  I  say  it'll  be  right." 

"  If  yo'  say  dat^  yo'  won't  kill  any  of  us,"  said  Corporal 
Free;  "fo'  Gen.  Baker  is  too  high  toned  a  gem'man  to 
allow"  a  man  dat  has  surrendered,  to  be  killed.  He's  a 
gem'man  from  one  of  'de  first  families  of  de  State." 

"You  shut  up  your  mouth,"  said  one  of  the  chivalry,  as 
he  threw  a  handful  of  dirt  into  Free's  face. 

"Xow,  I  tell  you  w^hat,"  said  another  speaker,  fingering 

a  huge  pistol;  "all  get  on  this  side  of  these  niggers, 

and  we'll  just  fire  into  'em." 


ISO  OTHEP.   TOOLS   AXD   THEIR  DOINGS. 

At  that  moment  a  cheer  arose,  and  hats  of  all  descrip- 
tions ^vere  swung  wildly  in  the  air. 

*' Hurrah!  Hero  comes  uur  chief  !"  shouted  the  mob, 
and  made  rcxmi  for  horse  and  rider  to  approach  the  ring, 
though  the  single  solid  circle  of  armed  men  remained  un- 
broken. The  poor  fellows  upon  the  ground  raised  their 
lieads,  ai;d  cried  out  eacli  for  his  life,  "  Oh,  Gen.  Baker!" 
"Oh,  Gen.  Baker!"  "''You  will  save  me!"  ''You  will 
save  my  life,"  "  Gen.  Baker,  I  snrrendered  right  off,  I  did," 
"I  han't  done  nothing,"  '"'I'm  just  a  honest,  hard-working 
man."  "  Don't  le.  'em  kill  me,  Gen.  Baker  !"  Yo'  will  set 
me  free.  General  Bakah,  I'm  sho  fo'  yo's  a  gemman  !"  and 
beseeching  hands  were  uplifted,  and  dark  faces  upturned 
in  earnest  pleading  for  the  protection  they  felt  sure  "a 
high-toned  gentleman,"  and  "  chivalrous  chieftain  "  would 
give. 

"Is  William  Daws  here  in  this  ring?"  asked  the 
General. 

"  Yes  sah,"  was  the  prompt  and  confident  reply. 

"  You're  the  black  rascal  that  burned  my  house  down," 
and  with  a  vile  epithet  this  personification  of  southern 
magnamity  rode  away. 

"  Ah  !  Ah  I''  groaned  the  crowd,  in  derision  of  the  mis- 
placed confidence  of  the  negroes. 

"  There's  Alden  Watta,"  said  a  mocking  voice.     You're 
a  magistrate,  I  suppose  !     You're  a nice  looking  magis- 
trate !"  and  he  scooped  up  a  handful  of  soil  and  threw^  it  int( 
the  back  of  Watta's  neck,  as  his  head  hung  down.  '*  There  • 
a  baptism  for  you." 


OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  181 

Watta  did  not  heed  it. 

"Boys,  WL'M  better  go  to  work,  and  kill  what  niggers 
we've  got;  what's  the  use  o'  waiting?  We  shan't  be  able 
to  lind  Capt.  Doc,"  said  a  new  speaker. 

"  We've  had  our  orders  from  Gen.  Baker,  so  far,  and 
we'd  better  get  orders  from  him  now,"  said  another,  who 
was  possibly  more  merciful. 

"  If  we  don't  kill  all,  they'll  give  testimony  against  us, 
some  day  to  come,"  said  the  first  speaker. 

"  That's  so,"  said  a  third.  "  Gen.  Baker  has  got  us  here, 
and  we  ketched  the  men  as  he  told  us,  and  I  think  we've 
got  something  to  say  now." 

"No,  gentlemen,"  said  a  fourth,  "  just  pick  out  the  Re- 
publican leaders  and  kill  them,  and  let  the  rest  go.  They're 
all  Republicans,  I  know,  but  they  a'n't  all  leaders;  and  some 
of  these  boys  didn't  never  hurt  nobody.  Some  of  'em  is 
good  fellows  !"' 

"  A — h  !  that  a'n't  worth  a  cent  !  We've  come  out  here 
to  have  some  fun,  and  now  let's  have  it." 

So  they  contended  till  the  excitement  became  quite 
alarming,  and  pistols  were  drawn  upon  each  other  by  the 
mob. 

"  Well  now,"  said  a  new  voice,  "  I'll  tell  you  how  you 
must  do  it." 

*'  Listen  !  Listen  !  Hear  the  Judge's  son  !  Hear  the 
the  young  Georgia  Judge  !"  shouted  several  men;  and  so 
there  came  a  calm. 

"This  has  been   a  militarv  affair  so  far,"  said  the  youn^ 


182  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOIXGS. 

man,  "  and  let  us  carry  it  through  so.  We  must  just  have 
a  court-martial.  These  niggers  are  prisoners  of  war.  This 
is  a  conflict  between  the  South  Carolina  Rifle  Clubs,  the 
natural  offspring  of  our  honored  Confederate  Cavalry, 
(cheers),  and  the  National  Guards,  the  pets  of  the  Yankees, 
(groans).  The  South  Carolinians  have  been  victorious, 
[tremendous  cheers],  &s  they  always  will  be,  [vehement  ap- 
plause]. And  now,  as  becomes  the  sons  of  noble  sires, 
[cheers],  sons  who  are  honored  [when  in  uniform],  by  wear- 
ing the  gray  of  our  "Lost  Cause,"  [cheers],-  and  who  to- 
night have  done  honor  to  the  gray,  (cheers),  let  us  not 
forget  to  be  generous  to  our  prisoners;  but  choose  from  our 
number  twenty  men,  who  shall  retire  and  consider  the  case 
of  each  of  these  we  have  captured;  and  as  they  decide,  so 
the  man  shall  fare." 

Applause  and  assent  followed,  when  another  voice  added, 
"  And  if  any  of  you  have  old  scores  you  want  settled,  just 
bring  them  before  the  court-martial." 

The  men  were  selected,  though  not  without  difficulty 
and  some  final  dissatisfaction  and  threats,  but  as  the  Cap- 
tain was  acceptable  to  the  most  violent,  the  matter  was 
finally  adjusted  upon  a  compromise. 

Capt.  Sweargen,  [the  same  who  menaced  Mr.  Springer 
during  the  last  conference  held  with  Gen.  Baker  previous 
to  the  commencement  of  active  hostilities],  withdrew  and 
organized  his  court,  and  soon  returned  to  the  "dead  ring," 
and  gave  the  following  elegant  military  order. 


OTHER   FOOLS   AXD   THEIR   DOINGS.  183 

"All  you  black  scamps,  get  up  here;  we're  going  to 
carry  you  to  the  county  seat,  and  put  you  in  jail." 

"No;  we'll  start  for  there,  but  we'll  lose  them  on  the 
road,"  said  a  bystander. 

"  That's  it,"  said  another,  "  we'll  leave  them  in  the 
swamp." 

"Come  on,  boys,  come  on  this  way,  we'll  attend  to 
the — s,"  said  Capt.  S — ,  and  the  ring  and  crowd  moved 
down  the  street  about  twenty  yards. 

"  Halt !     Xow  all  you  blasted  niggers,  sit  down  !" 

"Capt.  Sweargen  !  Caj)t.  Sweargen  !"  said  Mann  Har- 
ris, "As  yo'  are  the  Captain  of  this  killin',  I  will  ask  yo' 
to  save  my  life." 

"You  hush;  yo'  talk  too  much,  you  great  big  nigger 
you,"  said  one  of  the  crowd. 

"I'm  gwoine  to  talk.  It's  life  or  death  for  me,  an'  I'm 
gwoine  to  talk  for  my  life," 

"  Captain  !  Captain  !  Oh,  don't  let  them  kill  me  !"  said 
Sam.  Henry.  "I've  alius  been  a  industrious  and  honest  fellow, 
and  ha'n't  never  hurt  nobody,  nor  stole,  nor  nothin'." 

"Yes,  but  you're  a  blamed  Republican,  and  so  is  all  the 
rest  of  yo',  and  that's  enough.  We'll  carry  South  Carolina 
Democratic  now,  about  the  time  we  kill  four  or  five  hun- 
dred of  yo'  voting  niggers.  This  is  only  the  beginning  of 
it.  We've  got  to  have  South  Carolina,  and  these  clubs  has 
got  to  go  through  the  State." 

"Yes,"  added  another,  "the  v>'hite  man  has  got  to  rule 
here.    This  is  a  white  man's  irovernment." 


184  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOIXGS. 

The  excitement  was  again  increasing,  and  all  talked  at 
once  on  this  topic,  on  which  alone  all  seemed  to  agree. 

"Xow,  men,  we've  got  this  court-martial,  and  must  pro- 
ceed according  to  military  law,*'  shouted  Captain  S. 

"There  a'n't  no  law,"  cried  a  voice.  *'The  law  has  run 
out  at  the  end  of  a  hundred  years,  and  there  a'n't  no  consti- 
tution neither." 

"There  a'n't  no  court  in  South  Carolina  that  can  try  us 
anyhow,"  said  another. 

"  That's  so  !     That's  so  I"  resounded  through  the  crowd. 

"  Hello  !  Hurrah  I  here  corncs  anov-ier  nigger  !  Got 
Capt.  Doc  this  time  ?  Capt.  Doc  I  Capt.  Doc  !  (with  oaths), 
rang  through  the  swaying  mob  which  surrounded  the  dead 
ring,  as  a  jDOSse  from  the  General's  head-quarters  advanced 
with  the  new  victim. 

Xot  without  difficulty  a  way  was  opened  for  the  convey- 
ance of — not  Captain  Doc  (who  was  watching  and  listening 
attentively  at  the  Cook  street  end  of  the  verandah,  and 
not  twenty  paces  from  the  spot),  but  a  good  faced  boy,  yet 
in  his  teens. 

His  eyes  rolled  wildly  about,  he  trembled  violently,  and 
his  breath  came  quick  and  short,  though  without  a  sound. 

"Oh,  Friend  Robbins,"  said  Watta,  "I'm  sorry  they 
have  got  you  ?  Your  widowed  mother  and  the  children 
need  your  support.  "Where  is  Joey  ?  (the  company's  drum- 
mer-boy). 

"  I  don't  know,"  whispered  Friend. 

"  Ha  !     This  is  the  boy  that  would'nt  sell  us  ammunition 


OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  1S5 

ill  Mrs.  Bront's  store,"  shouted  one  of  tlie  assassins.  "  I 
cursed  you  \\cll  then,  old  chap;  but  we'll  give  ijou  all  the 
ammunition  you  want,  and  rnore'n  you'll  ask  for.'' 

Poor  Friend  had  passed  a  dreadful  night,  (for  this  was 
now  in  the  small  hours  of  the  morning),  since  he  slipped 
down  the  ladder  from  the  drill-room. 

He  had  taken  refuge  in  Marmor's  office,  from  thence  fled 
to  the  street;  been  driven  back  through  the  rear  yard, 
leaped  Dan  Lemfield's  fence,  escaping  a  shot  aimed  at  him, 
hid  under  a  pile  of  railroad  cross-ties  in  Lemfield's  yard 
during  a  dreadful  hour,  only  then  to  be  dragged  out  by 
thice  men  with  pistols  and  lanterns  in  their  hands,  searcl:. 
ing  ever':  hiding  ^)lace.  They  took  him  out  upon  the 
street,  and  to  their  commander. 

"  AVho  is  that  ?"  asked  the  lofty  General. 

"  It  is  Friend  Robbins,"  answered  the  boy,  looking 
frankly  into  the  ofticer's  face. 

"  What  are  you  doing  here  ?" 

"  I  have  not  been  doing  anything;  the  men  came  in  there, 
and  brought  me  out." 

"  Do  you  belong  to  the  militia  company?" 

"  I  do,  sir. '' 

"Well,  we  killed  one  nigger  down  there  to-night, 

and  I  want  you  to  go  down  there  and  see  Myhi.  and  see  if 
you  know  him.     Two  of  you  men  take  him  down  there." 

This  was  done;  and  there  upon  the  ground  laj  the  dead 
man,  his  eyes  wide  open  and  staring  away  through  tho 
pleai,  white  moonlight,  away  from  liie  blood-stained  earth 


1:6  OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOIXGS. 

towards  that  infinite  One,  before  whose  face  the  escaped 
soul  stood,  corroborating  the  testimony  of  liis  blood  which 
"  cried  from  the  ground." 

"  Who  is  that?"  asked  one  of  the  guards. 

"That's  John  Carr,"  replied  the  boy. 

"  Ile^s  the  Town  Marshal,  a'n't  he  ?" 

"Yes  sir." 

"Well,  he'll  be  Town  Marshal  no  more!" 

"I  don't  know  sir." 

Friend  was  then  conducted  back  to  the  General. 

"Are  you  ready,  sir?"  asked  the  men,  each  presenting 
his  pistol. 

"Xo;  don't  kill  him,"  said  the  General,  "but  take  him 
yonder,  and  keep  him  till  I  call  for  him." 

They  took  him  down  under  a  rail  road  trestle,  antl  kept 
him  half  an  hour  surrounded  by  men,  who  amused  them- 
selves by  torturing  him  with  all  sorts  of  alarms,  questions 
and  indignities. 

At  the  expiration  of  that  time,  General  Baker  rode  by, 
and  directed  that  he  be  taken  to  the  "dead  ring." 

"  Oh,  here  you  are  Tom,"  said  Gaston,  approaching  the 
corner  of  the  Post-Master's  house.  "  I've  been  looking  for 
you.     You  know  we've  got  Watta  down  there." 

"Yes,  that's  a  streak  of  good  luck;  but  I  wish  v.-e 
could  only  get  hold  of  their  ringleader,  that  Doc.  I'm 
mighty  glad  we've  got  Dan  Pips'.a.  though." 

"Yes,"  and  the  young  ir.cn  laughed.  '1  want  Doc 
mighty  bad    too,  but  I'm  thinking  more  about  what  we're 


OTHER  FOOLS   AXD   THEIR  DOINGS.  187 

going  to  do  witli  what  we  have  got.  I  reckon  the  Court 
Martial  is  tlie  best  way.  Captain  Sweargon  has  got  great 
respect  fo'  General  Baker.  Tliey  shan  't  let  Watta  and 
Pipsie  off  nohow." 

"  Xo,"  said  the  General,  who  rode  up  at  that  moment 
and  caught  the  last  remark.  "Watta  and  Dan  Tipsie  are 
two  dangerous  men,  and  ought  to  be  taken  care  of." 

"Xow,  General,"  said  a  stumpy  little  man,  strutting  up 
to  that  dignitary,  "yo've  brought  us  all  here,  all  this 
crowd,  and  we  've  got  the  niggers;  and  now  if  you  won't  kill 
them,  they'll  just  go  and  give  testimony  agin  us,  and  get 
us  into  ti-ouble." 

The  General  stared  at  the  little  man  with  the  most 
serene  contempt,  and  turning  his  horse's  head,  rode  away 
without  speaking. 

But  the  little  man  was  neither  abashed  nor  silenced. 
He  continued, — "Here  General  Baker  has  brought  us 
here,  and  kept  us  up  all  night  helping  him  to  capture  a 
lot  of  niggers,  and  he  ought  to  kill  the  last  one  of  'em;  for 
if  he  don  't  they  '11  be  up  here  to  vote  against  us,  and  they  '11 
be  giving  testimony  against  us." 

"That's  true  enough,  Yolier,  true  enough,"  said  several 
of  his  associates. 

"I'm  sleepy  and  tired,"  continued  Yolier.  "Here, 
Bub,"  addressing  a  small  boy  of  twelve  years,  "You  ought 
to  be  abed  and  asleep  long  ago." 

"  Xo,  sir-ee,"  said  the  boy,  ejecting  a  volume  of  tobacco- 
juice  from  his  mouth.     "Ja'n't  sleepy." 


138  OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

"Let's  go  up  into  this  piazza,  and  go  to  sleep,"  urged 
the  little  man,     "  Come,  come  on  I" 

"Xo,  I  sAa'^iV,"  replied  the  boy.  *'Iwant  to  go  and 
spit  on  them  niggers  some  more." 

So  the  little  man  yielded,  and  accompanied  the  lad  in 
quest  of  his  rare  sport;  much  to  the  relief  of  Captain 
Doc's  mind. 

At  the  same  time  Gaston  and  Tom  Baker  approached 
the  "dead  ring"  also,  and  the  name  of  Alden  Watta  was 
immediately  called,  as  that  of  the  first  victim  to  be  sacri- 
ficed. 

"We'll  fix  you!  vre  'r'e  going  to  kill  you  now,  without  a 
doubt,"  cried  the  mob. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  TTatta,  standing  up  in  a  calm 
manner,  "I  am  not  ready  to  die,  and  haven't  done  anything 
to  be  killed  for.  Will  you  allow  me  to  prepare  to  meet 
my  God?     Please  let  me  pray." 

"You  ought  to  have  been  praying  before  now;  you  have 
talked  enough  without  praying,  and  we  're  going  to  kill 
you  now.  I  don't  care,"  said  young  Tom  Baker,  with 
numerous    oaths.      "  But  we  're  going   to  kill  you.'* 

"Oh,  gentlemen,  do  spare  my  life!  I  will  not  interfere 
with  you.  I  will  only  take  care  of  my  family  as  an  honest 
man  should.  I  will  go  clear  away  out  of  the  S:ate,  if  you 
will  only  spare  me  to  take  care  of  my  wife  and  my  little 
children!" 

"Watta,  old  chap,  is  that  you?"  cried  Gaston,  crowding 
nearer,  (with  an  oath).    "  We'll  fix  you  dii'ectly." 


OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR   DOINGS.  ISO 

"Oi),  GastonI  Gaston!  Wliat  do  you  want  with  me? 
Please  do,  do  all  you  can  for  me,  and  I  will  be  your  friend  as 
long  as  I  live,  and  leave  the  legac\'  of  gratiiude  to  my 
children!" 

"Yes,  I  v'ill  do  all  I  can  for  you;  I'll  do  it  in  a  short 
while.     He's  had  time  encniGrh,  bo  vs." 

As  many  as  could  lay  hands  upon  him  did  so,  and  they 
carried  this  Second-lieutenant  of  the  National  Guards, 
this  County  Commissioner,  this  graduate  of  a  Freedman's 
High  School,  this  teacher  of  a  colored  school,  this  corres- 
pondent of  the Times,  this  inifluential  Republican,  this 

Ijusband  and  father,  this  young  man  who  bore  the  general 
reputation  of  being  a  straight-forward  and  truthful  man, 
a  man  that  could  be  depended  on,  and  had  a  great  deal  of 
resolution;  not  a  violent  man,  not  given  to  insolence  nor 
trouble  of  any  kind,  a  pleasant  and  aH'alde  man  though 
one  of  spirit,  this  American  citizen,  and  they  bore  him  away 
to  be  sacrificed. 

By  main  force  they  took  him  several  rods  down  the 
street  and  into  the  edge  of  a  field. 

Each  individual  of  the  crowd  panted  for  a  share  in  so 
great  a  service  to  southern  Democracy. 

When  he  was  allowed  to  stand  upon  his  feet  dgain,  he 
looked  around  upon  a  wall  of  circular  steel  mouths,  each 
ready  to  belch  forth  hot,  blazing,  sulpherous,  leaden  death; 
for  pvery  man  presented  the  muzzle  of  his  gun  or  pistol 
at  the  hapless  victim. 

Falling  upon  his  knees  he  cried  out,  with  clasped  hands 


190  OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

and  upturned  face,  "Ob,  God!  there  is  neither  justice  nor 
mercy  upon  the  earth!  I  cast  my  naked  soul  and  all  I  have 
upon  Thy  mercy!" 

He  paused  and  pressed  his  hands  over  his  face.  A  tre- 
mendous volley,  followed,  and  Alden  Watta's  soul  leaped 
into  the  presence  of  that  Judge  whom  no  Ku  Klux  Klans 
can  corrupt  or  intimidate;  and  the  murderous  throng 
hastened  back  to  procure  another  victim. 

*'  Oh,  Free,  and  all  of  yo',  what  is  yo'  gwoine  on  so  a 
beggin'  fo'?''  said  Dan  Pipsie.  '"If  dey  is  gwoine  to  kill  us 
all  anyhow,  what  is  de  use.  o'  beggin'  so?  I  only  wish  I  had 
some  o'  my  wife's  'ligion  now;  and  I'd  like  fo'herto  pray 
fo'  me." 

The  committee  soon  returned  from  the  court,  and  an- 
nounced the  Armorer  of  the  militia  company,  Dan  Pipsie, 
as  the  next  condemned. 

"'  "With  an  air  of  perfect  indifference  he  arose  and  accom- 
panied the  murderers  to  the  field  of  blood. 

A  volley  was  heard,  and  the  committee  returned,  but 
Dan  did  not. 

Ham  Sterns  was  the  next  called.  He  was  a  large  mulat- 
to, and  was  sick. 

"O.  Gentlemen!"  he  j^leaded,  "I  haven't  done  anything. 
What  do  you  want  to  kill  me  fo'?  I  a'n't  a  member  of  the 
militia  company,  and  I  was  just  peaceable  at  home  when 
some  of  you  just  come  and  dragged  me  out  here;  and  now 
you're  going  to  kill  me.  I  a'n't  even  a  'publican  leader. 
Please  let  me  go!" 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIK  DOIXGS  191 

"Ham  Sterns,  I  reckon  yo'  know  /?2e,"  hissed  an  evil- 
eyecl,  sallow-faced  man,  stepping  before  him,  and  shaking 
his  fist  in  his  face.  "  Xow  I'll  he  quits  with  you  on  that 
sale  affair;  you  and  Alf  Minton.  I'll  learn  yo'  to  outbid 
mel" 

"  Come  out  here!  come  out  here?"  shouted  the  mob,  and 
Ilam  Sterns  was  led  away,  The  guns  fired,  and  the  com- 
mittee returned,  but  Ham  Sterns  never  did. 

"  Oh  them  tremendously  firings!"  said  Sam  Henry,  with 
a  shudder  of  horror,  as  he  buried  his  face  in  his  palms 
and  began  earnestly  to  pray  for  divine  deliverance. 

*•  Is  this  you,  Sam,"  asked  a  kindly  voice  at  his  ear.  "Get 
up,  Sam,"  and  a  white  man  who  stood  behind  him  took 
hold  of  his  arm  and  said,  "  Gentlemen,  this  is  a  boy  that  I 
know,  (they  were  all  "boys,"  even  if  grey-headed)  and  he 
is  a  harmless  boy.  He  don't  belong  to  the  militia  nohow^ 
ril  be  responsible  for  him,"  and  he  led  him  away. 

Alfred  Minton  was  now  called  for,  but  no  response 
came. 

"Alf  Minton!  Alf  Minton!"  was  repeated  with  oaths 
and  imprecations,  and  still  no  response. 

The  committee  entered  the  ring,  and  touched  each  man 
upon  his  head,  asking,  "Who's  this?" 

At  last  a  small,  sick,  weakly-looking  young  man  acknowl- 
edcjed  tha  name. 

For  the  credit  of  human  nature  be  it  recorded  that  one 
of  the  mob  begged  that  the  poor,  sick  boy  be  let  alone; 
and  others  wei-e  eviclentlv  tirinir  of   bloodshed. 


192  OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

But  the  majority  were  not  yet  satiated,  and  with  piofan- 
ity,  they  shouted,  "  O,  we'll  fix  him  !  We'll  cxire  himr  and 
they  led  him  also  away.  The  guns  fired;  the  crowd  re- 
turned; but  Alfred  did  not. 

During  this  execution  another  white  man  conveyed 
Friend  Robbins  away;  learning  which,  when  too  late  to  in- 
terfere, some  of  the  more  sanguinolcnt  ran  up  to  head- 
quarters with  complaints;  but  the  moving  spirits  there  hav- 
ing had  their  own  desires  for  revenge  measurably  satisfied, 
and  despairing  of  the  arrest  of  Captain  Doc;  and  perhaps, 
the  inflaming  eflects  of  their  potations  beginLing  to  wane, 
they  began  to  think  of  possible  court  scenes  in  the  future. 
So  they  were  but  indifferent  listeners,  and  even  suggested 
the  possibility  of  some  other  method  of  disposing  of  the 
remaining  captives. 

Porapey  Conner,  a  noted/hief  and  gambler,  whose  skill 
m  cards  had  often  taxed  the  purses  of  some  of  this  fastidi- 
ous throng  of  captors  was  the  next  called  at  the  "  dead 
ring." 

'•  Pompey  you  run,''''  whisj^ered  Mann  Harris,  who  sat  be- 
side him. 

Pompey  was  a  powerful  man.  when  he  chose  to  exert  his 

strength,  and  ho  darted  through  the  crowd  like   an  arrow; 

stooping  a-  little,  and  with    his    brawny  shoulder  cleaving 

his  way. 

When  he  reached  a  clear  track,  numerous  shots  followed, 

and  the  mob  thinking  him  severely  wounded   jjered  and 

shouted   triumphant! v;  while  he  crouched  behind  a  tree, 


'       OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  193 

rolled  his  great  eyes,  noded  liis  wooly  bead,  and  mutter- 
ed audibly  as  be  turned  up  tbe  leg  of  bis  trousers,  "It  only 
just  scalped  my  leg,  af'cr  all." 

"Wbat  better  fun  do  you  want  than  tbat,  boys?  Tbis  is 
fun!  ba!  ba!  ba!  Let's  let  'em  all  go,  and  sboot  after  'era 
like  rabbits,"  cried  a  mere  boy. 

"  Ob,  no  !  you've  done  enougb  for  to-nigbt.  Now  let 
tbese  prisoners  go." 

"Yes,  let  tbese  prisoners  go,"  cbimed  in  anotber. 

*•' Let's  pile  'em  up  like  frogs  and  sboot  into 'em,"  said 
anotber,  with  an  oatb  tbat  should  make  tbe  blood  curdle; 
while  still  anotber  said,  "  Xo  don't  do  that,  but  let  'em  go 
and  don't  sboot  after  'em." 

^'  Oh,  no, we  ought  not  to  leave  none  to  tell  tbe  tale.  Let's 
kiU'emalU" 

"We  came  out  for/im;now  let's  have  it,  and  not  give  up 
BO,"  said  a  very  young  man,  a  minor. 

"If  we  kill  them  all,  there'll  be  nobody  left  to  tell  tbe 
tale;  and  if  we  leave  anybody,  they'll  go  and  testify 
against  us;  and  I  tell  you  we  might  as  well  make  a  sure 
thing  of  this,"  was  repeatedly  reiterated. 

"  Ob,  let  them  go,"  said  a  new  speaker.  Let  us  swear 
them  before  they  go,  not  to  tell  anybody,  nor  anything 
about  it." 

After  much  discussion,  this  counsel  prevailed. 

"  Xow  all  you black  rascals  you,  get  up  here,"  said 

Captain  Sweargen. 

Tbe  prisoners  quickly  obeyed. 


194  OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR   DOINGS. 

"  Now,  you  all  get  down  again,  on  your  knees,  and  hold 
up  your  right  hands." 

All  obeyed.  "I  solemnly  swear,"  said  the  Captain,"! 
solemnly  swear,"  repeated  the  prisoners,  "  tliat  I  will  never 
go  into  any  court  to  testify,  [repeated]  nor  to  know  any- 
thino:  about  this  affair,  nor  what  has  been  done  in  Bacons- 
ville  this  evening,  nor  to-night,  nor  that  I  know  any  of 
the  men  who  was  in  the  party." 

The  prisoners  all  took  the  oath. 

"Now^  you rascals,  getaway  from  here  !" 

Each  sprung  to  his  feet,  and  all  but  two  ran  for  life. 
Corporal  Free  dodged  behind  a  tree,  and  Maim  Harris, 
who  was  on  the  edge  of  the  dusky  group,  stood  still. 

Fifteen  or  twenty  of  the  irrepressible  "  chivalry"  leveled 
their  guns  upon  the  liberated  prisoners  whom  the  South 
Carolina  rifle  clubs  had  captured  from  the  National  Guards, 
and  fired;  "just  like  they  was  shooting  at  birds." 

As  evidence  of  the  skill  of  these  riflemen  it  may  be  men- 
tioned that  but  one  of  those  colored  men  was  w^ounded, 
and  he  but  slightly,  though  the  firing  was  at  fifteen  paces. 

"Mann  Harris,  where  do  you  live?"  asked  a  maimed 
relic  of  the  confederate  service. 

"  I  live  right  on  the  corner  opposite  Dan  Lemfield's." 

"  Well,  you  go  on  home." 

"  I  can't  do  it." 

"  Why  can't  you  ?" 

"  I'm  af eard  to  go  through  them  men  by  myself." 

"Come  on,  I'll  go  with  you."     So  that  one-armed  white 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND  THEIR  DOINGS.  195 

man  sat  upon  his  horse,  and  the  great  muscular  negro 
walked  beside  it,  holding  upon  the  saddle  for  protection. 
They  passed  from  Market  into  Cook  street,  and  wended 
their  way  among  the  slowly  dissolving  crowd. 

Kearing  Mercer  street,  the  escort  began  to  converse. 
Well,  Mann,  now  you  see  what  the  result  is  when  niggers 
vote  against  the  white  people." 

**I  don't  know  what  you're  talking  about,"  replied  the 
colored  man. 

"  Have  you  always  voted  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  has;  I  voted  the  'publican  ticket  all  the  time." 
"  Well,  you  don't  intend  to  say  you  want  to  vote  it  ?" 
"If  this  fuss  is  about,  I  sha'n't  vote  no  kind  of  a  ticket.'* 
Another  horseman  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  narrow 
street  overheard  the  last  remark,  and  approached. 

"Harris,  I  know  you,"  said  he.  "We  was  boys  at  the 
same  time,  and  have  known  each  other  all  the  while  alongj 
and  I  know  that  you  are  a  nigger  that  has  got  good  sense, 
good  common  sense.  You  see  where  this  nigger  is  lying, 
here  ?"  [They  had  just  come  upon  the  body  of  John  Carr,] 
"  Yes,  sir;  I  see  him." 

"  Well,  just  so  icill  2ve  lay  you,  if  you  ever  vote  theTtepuh- 
lican  ticket  again. '^'' 

"Well,  sir,  I  will  not  vote  no  kind  of  a  ticket." 

"  No, that's   the  plan,"  said  the  proud  Southern, 

"  and  we  intend  to  carry  it  out;  and  the  only  way  for  you  to 
save  yourself  is  to  come  over  and  vote  with   us;  because 


196  OTHEIl  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOIXGS. 

vrc  know  that  you  know  mighty  well,  when  you  vote 
against  us  you  arc  voting  against  your  interest." 

"I  didn't  know  it  M'as  so  much  against  your  interest  as 
to  kill  a  man,"  i-cplied  Harris.  *'  I  had  no  idea  that  it  was 
any  such  thing  as  that." 

"  Well,  you  see  what  the  consequence  is,  and  we're  going 
to  carry  this  State,  and  avc  intend  to  do  it  if  we  have  to 
kill  every  nigger,  and  this  rascally  Governoj*  too;  he  is  the 
head  of  all  ihc  thieves  in  the  State,  and  the  white  j^eople 
don't  intend  to  stand  it  no  longer;  they  intend  to  break  it 
up." 

Harris  and  his  protector  then  moved  on,  and  soon  reached 
their  place  of  destination. 

"  3Iann,"  said  3Ir.  W ,  I've  got  a  little  talk  for  you. 

I,  to-night,  by  your  being  recommended  to  me,  saved  your 
life;  and  now  you  can  do  me  a  favor,  and  I  will  tell  you 
what  it  is." 

"All  right,  Captain.  There  a'n't  nothing  that  I  could 
do  that  I  wouldn't  do  for  yo',  for  yo'  saved  my  life." 

"Yes;  what  I  want  to  say  to  you  is,  that  you  don't  know 
anything  about  the  affair  at  all;  that  they  had  you  around 
there,  but  you  knowed  nobody;  that  these  are  unknown 
parties;  and  if  any  one  comes  to  get  you  to  go  into  court  to 
testify,  or  say  anything  about  calling  anybody's  name,  yoic 
don't  /iV20?r.  This  time  we  will  let  you  off;  but  next  time 
we  get  at  this  thing,  we'll  ^it  you.  Now  I  will  tell  you 
as  you  do  mc  a  favor,  and  don't  you  call  anybody's  name; 
don't  you  own  to  them  that  you  do  know;  and  tell  them, 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOIXGS.  197 

the  rest  of  them,  not  to  say  anything  about  it;  that  you 
seen  the  boys,  but  you  didn't  know  who  it  was.  If  any 
one  asks  you,  tell  'em  you  don't  know;  it  was  unknown 
parties.  Good-i;i2,ht;"  and  liis  magnanimous  benefactor 
rode  away,  and  left  Mann  Harris  upon  liis  door-step. 


198  OTHER  FOOLS  AND  TEEIR  DOEsGS. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

INCIDENTS    AND    PAETICULAES. 

Sabbath  holy 

For  the  lo^v]y 
Paiut  v/itli  flowers  thy  glittering  sod  ; 
For  affliction's  sons  and  daughters, 
Bid  thy  mountains,  woods  and  waters 
^      Pray  to  God— our  Father  God. 

Still  God  liveth, 

Still  he  givcth 
What  no  man  can  take  away ; 
And,  oh  Sabbath  !  bringini?  gladness 
Unto  hearts  of  weary  sadness, 
Still  thou  art  an  holy  day." 

Whitiier. 

Under  cover  of  the  morning  fog  Captain  Doc  descended 
from  the  verandah  of  the  Postmaster's  residence.  As  he 
slid  down  a  pillar  of  the  open  piazza  of  tlie  lower  story,  a 
black  face  stared  from  one  of  the  lower  windows,  with  an 
expression  of  mingled  terror  and  surprise.  Reassured  by 
a  smile  upon  Doc's  face,  he  raised  the  sash  cautiously,  and 
-whispered,  "  Docs  you  want  to  come  in  ?" 

"No,  no,  Dick  !*'  was  the  reply,  "this  town  isn't  a  safe 
enough  i)hacc  to  liold  me  when  the  day  comes.  The  hounds 
will  be  back  again,  when  they  have  fed  and  slept  a  little. 
Have  you  been  there  all  night  ?" 

"Yes;  and  all  alone  too.  The  family  knowed  it  wa'n't 
cafe  for  'em  here,  j^ertic'lar  Mr.  Rouse.     And  so  dey  left 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS.  193 

me  to  sec  after  tings.  Gen.  Baker,  nor  none  of  'em'  dar'n't 
touch  dis  house,  cause  tlic  Post  Office  is  yerc,  and  dat's  dee 
United  States— they  arc  'afeared  o'  de  Yankees  you  see. 
But,  oh  my  !  Ha'n't  it  been  a  long  niglit,  and  a  mcful  one  ! 
'Pears  like  I'm  a  hundred  yeah  old.  How  many's  been 
killed  ?" 

"  I  don't  know.     Enough,  anyhow." 
"Dey  didn't  git  yo'  ?     I'm  surprised,  Doc." 
"Xo,  nor  they  won't;"  and  waving  an  adieu '^o  Dick, 
the  Captain  walked  noiselessly  to  the  back  part  of  the  gar- 
den, and  leaped  the  fence  into  Mercer  street. 

There,  stiff  and  stark  lay  the  body  of  John  Carr,  the 
Town  Marshal;  and  further  up,  close  beside  the  fence,  a 
shapeless  heap,  as  it  appeared,  which  Doc  knew  must  be 
the  body  of  Moses  Parker,  whom  the  slave-catcher  had 
"got"  on  the  previous  evening. 

Keeping  on  towards  the  hills  and  near  the  railroad,  he 
escaped  unobserved;  till,  when  ascending  the  hill,  ho  heard 
his  name  spoken,  quite  near  him.  Though  startled  for 
an  instant,  he  was  immediately  joined  by  I\ed  O'Bran,  who 
camo  out  from  a  clump  of  bushes  where  he  had  spent  the 
night  in  terror;  and,  in  company,  the  two  men  walked  to  the 
county  seat,  distant  nearly  twenty  miles.  There  they 
found  an  excited  people,  and  several  refugees  from  the 
scene  of  massacre,  among  whom  was  Elder  Jackson. 

"Phebe,"said  Uncle  Jesse,  early  that  morning,  ''I  don't 
believe  you'd  best  go  up  to  church  to-day.     I  don't  believe 


200  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

there'll  be  many  women  there,  for  I  reckon  they  all  would 
leave  the  town  last  night." 

"And  I  don't  believe  dar'll  be  no  men,  nor  no  church 
nuther;  fo'  Eldah  Jackson  bein  a  Legislatur  man,  an'  a 
Radical,  '11  have  to  streak  it,  yo'  may  be  sho;  fo'  of  co'se  de 
white  folks  has  beat  de  niggahs,  as  dey  alius  does." 

"Well,  now,  it's  queer;  but  I  never  did  thought  about 
the  Elder  last  night  ?  For  certain  they'll  be  after  him;  for 
there's  a,  j^olitical  side  to  this  'ere  fuss.  Is'ow  you  git  break- 
fast just?  as  quick  as  you  can,  and  I'll  go  over  and  see." 

"  I'm  afeared  to  have  yo'  go." 

"  But  somebody  ought  to  see  after  Elder  Jackson." 

"Dat's  so;  I  wish  I  could  go  wid  yo'," 

"Xo,  no.  Maybe  I  shall  have  to  cscaj^e  myself,  and 
it's  a  heap  easier  to  escape  on  horseback,  than  it  would  be 
in  a  wagon,  and  two  of  us." 

"  Hadn't  yo'  best  git  Den  Barden  to  go  'long,  Jesse  ?" 
asked  his  wife  as  he  arose  from  his  hasty  breakfast. 

"ISTo,  Phebe,  I'm  just  agoing  to  leave  the  Laud  Jesus 
Christ  here,  to  take  care  of  you  and  the  children,  and  get 
God  Almighty  to  go  'long  with  mc,  and  see  after  me;  and 
I'm  going  to  go  v>-ithout  anybody  else  at  all." 

So  after  reading  vrith  much  needful  moderation,  and  not 
without  verbal  errors,  the  G9th  Psalm,  lie  knelt  with  his 
little  family  uj^on  the  cottage  floor,  and  repeated  the 
same  sentiments  from  a  full  heart. 

Though  not  more  than  three  miles  from  the  village  in  a 
direct  line,  a  good   five  miles   or   more   of  circuitous  and 


OTHER  FOOLS   AXD  THEIR  DOINGS.  231 

somewliat  louelj  road  lay  between  Jesse's  home  and  the 
scene  of  the  massacre;  and  lie  had  ample  time  for  reflection. 

He  had  long  maintained,  among  his  neighbors,  the  only 
attitude  an  unprejudiced  lover  of  justice  could;  but  it  had 
brought  to  him  alike,  confidence  and  distrust,  reverence 
and  envy,  respect  and  aversion;  and  while  liis  assistance 
and  advice  were  sought  by  the  moderate  and  by  the  ex- 
tremists on  both  hands,  he  scarcely  knew  whether  he  had  a 
friend  on  whom  he  could  certainly  rely,  or  an  enemy  A\ho 
would  betray  him.  Fortunately  his  road  did  not  cross  the 
river,  for  the  city  police  yet  stationed  at  the  bridge  still  de- 
nied passage  to  persons  of  color,  though  allowing  whites 
to  pass  freely. 

As  he  entered  the  little  town,  he  saw  a  number  of  men 
moving  along  the  princi^^al  street,  and  evidently  carrying 
some  heavy  burden.  He  did  not  approach  them,  but  went 
directly  to  Elder  Jacks^;./..>  house. 

He  found  it  deserted,  and  large  charred  spots  upon  the 
surface  gave  evidence  that  attempts  had  been  made  to  fire 
it;  and  the  garden  was  trodden  down  and  utterly  destroyed. 
He  then  turned  toward  Springer's  house.  This  stood  back 
from  the  sidewalk,  and  not  without  misgivings  he  entered 
the  trampled  yard,  and  rapped  at  the  closed  door. 

Springer  ansv/ered  the  summons  in  person,  and  greeted 
his  friend  with  genuine  cordiality'. 

""U'hy,  brother  Jesse,  Pm  surprised  and  glad  both,  to  see 
you  this  morning." 

"  And  I'm  thanking  the    Laud,  this  minute  to  fmd   you 


202  OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOCsGS. 

alive,  and  to  get  inside  the  shelter  of  your  house.  It  'pears 
like  the  streets  is  full  of  ghosts,  or  something  a  man's  glad 
to  get  away  from.  What  is  going  on  down  street?  I  seen 
'em  carrying  something  into  society  hall." 

"  Come  in  and  set  down  Brother,  Jesse.  I  suppose  they're 
collecting  the  dead.  The  Intendant  was  in  here,  and  wanted 
me  to  go  down  and  see  them  before  tliey  moved  'em — to  go 
on  the  coroner's  jury,  in  fact;  but  I  told  him  I  couldn't.  I'm 
sick.  This  last  night's  job  is  worse  than  a  fever.  You 
didn't  come  up,  Jesse?" 

''Xo,  I  didn't.  I  couldn't  think  it  would  be  right,  nor 
any  good,  somehow,  and  so  I  staid  away.  But  maybe  now 
I  ought  to  ha'  come?" 

"'No,  you  hadn't;  you'd  only  been  another  one.  My  moth 
er-in-law  is  very  bad  this  morning.  Tlic  scare  last  night 
was  enough  to  kill  a  well  woman,  and  you  know  she  was 
pretty  sick  and  weak  before.  I  guess  we\l  best  go  away  to 
talk.  Come  right  up  stairs,  and  we'll  set  and  talk  all  we 
Avant  to,  and  she  won't  hear  us;"  and  Mr.  Springer  took  his 
guest  to  a  tasteful  chamber. 

The  house  was  not  large,  but  was  well  furnished  and 
neatly  kept. 

"Where  is  the  Elder?"  asked  Mr.  Roome,  when  they 
were  again  seated. 

"  That  I  don't  know.  He  may  be  in  the  Kingdom  of 
Glory,  but  I  suppose  he  left  town,  and  went  to  the  city  mav- 
be.      He  and  Xed  O'Bran  went  off  together,  and  the  last  I 


OTHER  FOOLS  AXD  THEIR   DOINGS  203 

saAv  of  biin  they  were  going  up  Main  street,  making  for 
Ned's  Louse." 

"  How  many  is  killed,  and  who  be  they?'' 

''Seven  killed  and  two  wounded  that  we  know;  and 
there's  a  good  many  more  missing  that  we  don't  know 
whether  they're  dead  or  not.     Marmor  is  one  o'  them." 

"Marmor?  Well,  if  there  was  one  man  in  town  to  be 
killed,  3Iarmor  would  be  that  man.  There  ain't  no  man  in 
Baconsville  them  white  democrats  Avant  to  kill  so  bad  as 
they  do  Marmor,  without  it  is  Watta!' 

"Watta  they've  got!  He's  gone!  and  I'm  afeared  they've 
got  Marmor  also." 

''  Watt'as  gone?  I  Jctioiced  he'd  be  killed!" 

"Yes,  and  Den  Pipsie,  and  Ham  Sterns,  and  John 
Carr " 

"Why,  Springer!  You  don't  say  John  Carr  is  killed?'* 

''He  was  thefirst  man  they  took;  then  Moses  Parker 


I  heard  them  both  shot,  and  knew  the  voices.  Alfred  Min- 
ion, he  got  shot  too,  but  they  say  he  an't  dead  yet.  Ob, 
that  makes  mc  remember  (rising).  His  father  came  here 
just  before  yon  did,  and  wanted  mc  to  go  down  there. 
They  wanted  somebody  to  pray;  for  he  can't  live.  I  sup- 
pose I  must  go,  but  I  tell  you  I  can't  bear  to.  All  these 
things  seem  so  awful  that  they  make  mc  sick,  and  I  can't 
help  it.  "Won't  you  go  Jesse?  Go  down  and  pray  with  the 
poor  fellow." 

"Where  is  he?'' 

"Lying  right  there  on  the  ground  where  they  shot  him, 


204:  OTHER  FOOLS   AXD   THEIR  DOrN'GS. 

last  niglit;  and  tlieysay  somebody  has  mommuckcd  him  up 
awfully." 

"AVell,  Brother  Sj^ringer,  I'll  go,  but  I  Avant  you  to  go 
'long." 

**Do  they  know  who  shot  him?"' asked  Uncle  Jesse,  when 
they  were  on  their  way." 

*'It  is  said  to  be  unknown  parties  that  done  all  the  shooting 
from  this  "  dead  ring  "  they  had,  but  there's  one  comfort — 
the  Lord  knows  who  done  it;  and  He  knows  Avho  started 
the  thing,  and  put  these  unarmed  victims  into  the  hands  of 
an  armed  posse  big  enough  to  arrest  the  whole  of  Aiken 
County.  There,*'  (as  they  reached  r.  point  between  Dan 
Lemiields'  corner,  and  the  railroad  tressle-work),  this  is 
where  Moses  Parker  fell,  and  laid  till  an  hour  ago.  You 
can  see  the  blood." 

Mr.  Roome  looked,  but  did  not  speak.  Passing  under 
the  trestle-work,  and  advancing  a  few  steps,  they  came 
upon  a  pool  of  blood." 

"  This  is  where  our  Town  Marshal  vras  shot  between 
nine  and  ten  o'clock  last  night.  I  heard  him  holler,  "  Oh, 
Lord!  Oh,  Lord  I"  twice,  before  they  fired.  It  was  a  great 
volley,  several  guns,  and  I  vv'onder  they  didn't  some  of 
'em  kill  him  instantly.  Ho  begged  mighty  hard  before 
they  shot.    I  heard  him." 

The  men  resumed  their  walk,  turning  down  Cook  street, 
and  so  coming  out  upon  Market  street,  and  then  turning 
down  that. 

"There,    right  there   was    the    "dead    ring,"    they  say, 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  205 

where  thoy  liad  tux'iity-iivc  or  tiiirty  prisoners,  the  Lord 
knows  liow  long;  and  finally  sliot  some  of  'em,  and  llien 
swore  llic  rest  not  to  testify  against  tliem,  and  let  'em 
go,  and  shot  after  'em  as  they  went." 

"  Brother  Springer,"  said  Uncle  Jesse,  grasping  his 
companion's  arm,  '*don'r  tell  me  no  snch  talk!  You 
don't  expect  I'Ju  going  to  helicvc  it's  more  than  an  aw- 
ful bad  dream  you've  had." 

"Did  you  dream  you  saw  the  blood  back  there?"  and 
there's  four  or  five  dead  men  in  this  hall  at  your  left." 

"'Tiiat'sa  fact!  Xor  I  did 'nt  dream  the  threats  I've 
heard  made;  but  I  really  thought  it  was  mostly  blow 
and  bluster;  half  of  it  any  how!" 

"So  did  I,  so  did  I,"  replied  Springer,  "and  I  would  n't 
believe,  though  T  seen  all  these  streets  thick  v\-ith  armed 
men  in  the  evening,  that  they  meant  to  kill  anybody, — 
only  to  scare  the  colored  people, — till  I  heard  'em  shoot 
John  Carr,  and  then  I  was  scared." 

I3y  this  time  the  two  men  had  passed  another  street  and 
an  embankment  of  the  lower  rail  road,  and  approached  a 
small  group  of  citizens,  both  colored  and  white.  Upon 
the  bare  ground,  in  a  great  pool  of  blood,  lay  the  poor  boy 
Minton,  apparently  in  the  last  agonies  of  death.  He  was 
in  great  distress,  and  unable  to  converse  at  all. 

Fire-arms  alone  had  not  sufficed  for  the  fiendishness  of 
his  murderers;  for  blows  as  with  au  axe  or  hatchet,  had 
gashed  his  side,  broken  his  ribs,  and  cut  a  large  piece  of 
flesh  from  his  thigh.     It  was  a  horrible,  sickening  sight. 


236  OTHER  FOOLS   A^TD   THEIR  DOINGS. 

"Alfred I  Alfrcdl*'  cried  Uncle  Jesse,  falling  upon  his 
knees  at  tlie  boys  head. 

"Alfred, -who  cut  you  so?  Tell  us  who  did  it,  Alfred; 
it  makes  fury  boil  all  over  me!" 

A  groan  was  the  only  response;  and  then  from  the  depths 
of  his  great  heart,  so  uniformly  held  in  subjection  to  his 
clear  reason,  and  well  balanced  judgment.  Uncle  Jesse 
poured  forth  such  a  prayer  as  had  never  been  heard  by 
those  spectators  before, — a  prayer  for  the  departing  soul; 
that  it,  going  from  this  body  v\-eltering  in  blood  shed  by 
murderous  hands,  might  go  up  to  the  righteous  Judge  in- 
nocent of  any  vengeful  or  unforgiving  spirit; — a  prayer  full 
of  rio^hteous  indicc^ation  at  these  atrociou3  crimes  a^jainst 
his  2^Gc>P^^/^i^<^^  of  the  spirit  which  said  *  Father  forgive 
them,  for  they  know  not  Avhat  they  do." 

As  he  arose  from  his  knees,  Sam  Pincksncy  touched  his 
elbow,  and  they  shook  hands  in  silence.  Clinton  groaned 
and  seemed  to  desire  a  change  of  i)ositioii.  The  father 
and  brothers  turned  him  upon  liis  back.  Another  groan,  a 
quick  gasp,  a  sigh,  and  death  released  him  from  suffer- 
ing. 

Many  hands  waited  to  give  all  needed,  assistance  and  so 
Springer  invited  a  few  of  his  neighbors  to  accompany  him 
to  his  house,  that  Mr.  Roome  might  learn  more  particulars 
of  the  affair  of  the  previous  night. 

"Now  I  want  to  get  a  clear  idea  of  this  matter  as  I  can 
get,"  said  Uncle  Jesse  when  they  were  all  seated  in 
Springer's  chamber, 


OTHER  FOOLS   AXD   THEIR  DOINGS.  207 

'•lean  tell  you  how  it  begun,"  said  the  liost,  ''but  it 
Tvill  take  us  all,  and  more  too,  to  tell  how  it  went  on." 

He  then  narrated  the  history  of  the  trouble  from  the 
collision  on  the  4th  of  the  month,  up  to  the  time  when 
General  Baker  rode  to  the  city  across  the  river,  substan- 
tially as  the  reader  already  has  it. 

"All  this  time  while  he  was  gone,"  said  Springer,—"  about 
half  an  Iiour,— armed  bodies  of  men  continued  to  come 
into  town;  and  in  fact,  a  portion  of  them  stopped  and 
threw  themselves  into  line  right  in  front  of  the  house 
here.  As  soon  as  Genernl  Baker  got  back,  they  mounted 
again,  and  went  up  on  Mercer  and  Cook  streets,  and  so  on 
over  to  the  river  there,  and  there  they  fell  into  line.  Then 
myself  and  Judge  Rives,  and  Pincksney,  and  Elder  Jack- 
son, had  an  interview  there  with  General  Baker;  and  we 
asked  him  if  there  was  anything  we  could  do,— what  was 
necessary  to  bring  about  peace. 

"He  said  nothing  would  satisfy  him  but  the  surrender 
of  the  men  and  their  arms.  The  white  men  Avcre  so  bois- 
terous they  treated  us  very  badly.  One  man,  Captain 
Sweargen,  drew  his  pistol  while  we  were  having  this  in- 
terview with  General  Baker;— and  really,  I  thought  he 
seemed  to  be  looking  at  me,  and  that  he  was  going  to 
shoot;  but  Avhen  he  saw  me  looking  at  him,  he  put  his 
pistol  in  his  pocket  again. 

Pincksney  was  whipped  in  his  face,  cut  right  in,  as  you 
see,   and    so   then   we    got    away   as  quick  as  possible 
"  Did'nt  the  General  stop  these  things: 


oO" 


203  OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEm  DOINGS. 

*'  No,  not  at  all.  Didn't  appear  to  notice  'era  at  all. 
Then  the  firing  begun  pretty  soon  down  on  the  river- 
bank." 

"The  Avliite  men  down  there  are  saying  this  morning 
that  it  vras  the  31ilitia  that  begun  the  firing."  said  Sam 
Pincksney. 

'-No?  Why,  they  can't  say  that  I  It  sounded  like  right 
from  the  river-bank,"  said  Tim  Grassy,  an  intelligent- 
iooking  raullato,  about  thirty  years  of  age,  who  was  a 
brother-in-law  of  Springer. 

"Well,  I  know  the  white  men  fired  first,  for  just  let 
me  tell  you,"  said  Ben,  a  younger  brother  of  Tim  Grassy. 

"  George  Hansen  was  at  our  ware-house,  (Ben  vras  book- 
keeper in  Springer's  cotton  ware-house,)  and  ho  told  me 
there  was  going  to  be  trouble,  and  he  vranted  me  to  go  up 
to  his  plantation  with  him,  and  sec  his  game  chickens.  But 
I  told  him  I  couldn't  get  off.  He  told  me  he  saw  a  great 
crowd  of  white  men  gathered  up  back  there  in  the  country. 
An  hour  after  he  left,  squads  of  men  commenced  coming 
in,  and  half  an  hour  after  that  T  went  into  the  armory  for 
jDrotection.  The  white  men  opened  fire  and  kept  it  up  as 
much  as  fifteen  minutes,  and  maybe  half  an  hour,  before 
they  gave  the  colored  men  a  chance  to  fire  at  all.  I  know, 
for  I  saw  it." 

"  Did  any  white  men  get  killed?" 

"  One,  Merry  Walter." 

"  Then  I  suppose  some  of  our  people  must  have  killed 
him!"  said  Uncle  Jesse,  sadly. 


OTHER   FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOIXGS.  209 

"  Well,  I  don't  know,"  said  Mann  Harris,  who  had  sat 
quietly  listening,  though  reputed  the  greatest  talker  in 
Baconsville,  "they  quarrelled  among  theirselvcs,  some." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Ben,  "  but  Merry  was  a  Democrat,  and  I 
suppose  they  wouldn't  want  to  kill  him  themselves." 

"I  heard  some  of  'em  talking  this  morning,  some  respect- 
able-looking gentlemen  from  Georgia,  and  saying  that  they 
had  been  told  that  this  had  been  all  to  break  up  a  nest  of 
thieves  and  robbers— that  the  people  in  Baconsville  was 
that,  and  that  Capt.  Doc  is  a  rowdy,  and  the  Militia  Com- 
pany is  a  band  o'  thieves  ;  and  Hanson  Baker  said  that  is  a 
fact  and  just  so." 

"  I  never  heard  anything  like  that  in  all  the  years  I've 
lived  here,"  said  Springer,  the  oldest  resident  except  Uncle 
Jesse,  Avho  assented  to  his  testimony. 

"  They  talked  about  Pompey  Conner's  robbing  market 
wagons,  and  even  hauled  up  that  old  graveyard  affair,  more 
than  three  years  old;  and  they  know  the  Republican  nig- 
gers are  after  every  thief  they  know  of,  and  punishes  'em 
too.  Pompey  took  his  turn  in  jail,  and  so  did  that  old 
republican  nigger  that  dug  them  three  graves  open;  the 
democratic  one  got  away,  but  I've  seen  him  back  just  the 
other  day.  I  don't  believe  they  cared  anything  for  the 
graves  ;  they  only  thought  there  was  some  money  buried 
somewhere  iu  the  graveyard  during  the  war." 

"  That  mean  democratic  nigger  that  lives  over  back  of 
the  hill  there,  was  in  town  yesterday,  and  some  of  'em  said 
that   he   told  the  white  folks  where  to  find  men— where 


210  OTHER  FOOLS  ^VND  THEIR  DODs'GS. 

their  houses  were,  nud  if  that  is  true  it  is  just  contempt- 
ible!" said  Springer. 

**The  fact  is,"  said  Ben,  the  niggers  are  getting  a  bad 
name  everywhere,  witli  these  old  white  aristocrats,  and 
especially  since  this  fuss." 

Ben  was  young,  and  his  honest,  expressive  face  glowed 
as  he  spoke,  with  animation  which  subsided  immediately 
into  grave  thoughtfulness. 

"What  has  become  of  Capt.  Doc?" 

"  Don't  know  ;  nobody  knows.  He's  sharp  though,  and 
I  hope  he  has  got  away.  If  they  were  to  get  him  they 
would  think  he  must  be  drawn  and  quartered,  I  expect," 
said  Ben. 

"  Springer,  you  said  Marmor  is  among  the  missing  ?" 
said  Uncle  Jesse. 

"We  don't  know  what  has  become  of  him.  Old  man 
Baker  was  in  Dan's  house  a  good  part  of  the  nigl.t,  Pincks- 
ney  says;  and  the  houses  join,  you  know;  and  the  last  seen 
of  Marmor,  he  was  jumping  the  fence  into  Dan's  back 
yard.  Dan's  folks  are  there  this  morning,  but  don't  seem 
to  want  to  see  nor  speak  to  anybody.  There's  a  mystery 
about  it  somehow." 

"  Dan  is  a  kind  of  a  queer  dark  man,  you  know.  Jews 
mostly  is,"  said  Tim  Grassy. 

"Dan  is  a  likely  sort  of  fellow,"  said  Mr.  Roome,  "I 
■wish  he  didn't  sell  so  much  whiskey." 

"  Between  twelve  and  one  o'clock,"  resumed  the  host, 
"I  heard  Col.  Baker  (at  least  I  took  it  to  be  his  voice). 


OTHER   FOOLS  AN*D   THEIR  DOINGS.  211 

Some  of  ihein  just  opposite  here  liad  said  the  bouse  was 
atire,  and  I  heard  him  sing  out  to  the  crowd,  "Put  that 
fire  out  !  notliiiig  like  tliat  shall  go  on  ;  I  don't  want  any 
burning.'  Soon  after  that  I  heard  firing  again,  and  I  heard 
somebody  else  holler.  I  don't  know  who  it  was,  but  I  sup- 
pose it  was  Moses  Parker." 
"Who  shot  him?" 
"That  I  don't  know." 

"TThere  was  Watta  killed?     Poor  fellow!     I  knowed 
he'd  be  killed,  if  anybody  was." 

"Down  at  the  'dead-ring,'"  said  Harris,  who  then  gave 
the  account  the  reader  has  had,  and  continued,  "  When  I 
stepped  into  my  house  I  stej^ped  right  onto  some  of  my 
wife's  clothes.  They  had  taken  'em  all  out  of  the  bureau, 
and  flung  'cm  all  over  the  floor,  brok(5  open  three  large 
trunks  I  liad,  and  taken  away  every  rag  of  clothing  I  had, 
and  my  wife's  bran  new  dress  that  she  had  made  very 
fancy  to  be  baptized  in  next  month— had  never  had  it  on— 
they  taken  that  away,  and  her  watch  and  chain,  and  all  her 
jewelry,  and  all  niy  clothes  ;  and  taken  a  pin  of  mine 
that  didn't  cost  me  but  sixty-five  dollars  ;  and  I  don't  sup- 
pose some  of  them  fellers  ever  had  sixty-five  dollars  in 
their  lives  ;  and  I  told  Pick.  Baker  so  this  morning.  Just 
so  ;  and  he  said  it  was  some  of  the  factory  crowd  from  the 
city,  none  o'  his  men  hadn't  done  it.  I  said  I  don't  know; 
I  seen  some  of  his  men  looked  pretty  bad  too,  and  I 
thought  they'd  take  things  just  as  quick  as  anybody. 

"  Tic  sayp,  *  Well,  there's  bad  men  in  all  crowds.'    Every- 


212  OTHER  FOOLS  AND    THEIR  DOINGS. 

thing  in  my  house  is  broken  up.  They  carried  ofT  all  my 
lamps  and  such  things,  tore  do^vn  my  curtains,  Lroke  my 
disiies,  and  carried  oif  what  they  couldn't  break — all  the 
victuals  and  everything.  When  I  told  Gaston  so  this 
morning,  he  offered  me  twenty-iive  cents  to  get  me  some- 
thing to  cat,  and  I  told  liim  I  thanked  him.  They  just 
walked  right  over  ni}'  Vv'ife's  clothes,  and  sph  on  'em." 

^'Harris,  what  do  you  suppose  they  did  all  this  for  ?" 

"Well,  they  said  before  it  hap})encd  that  I  would  see  the 
white  i^eople  intended  to  carry  the  state  democratic,  and  I 
expect  this  is  to  intimidate  ns.  Hanson  Baker  told  me 
last  night,  (or  this  morning  it  was)  when  I  was  going  home 
after  they  done  killed  the  men  that  was  lying  there  ;  and  I 
asked  them  liow  they  intended  to  carry  the  State  Demo- 
cratic, and  they  said,  *  You  see  there?  "Well,  lliat's  the 
way  we'll  lay  you  just  so,  if  ever  jou  vote  the  Republican 
ticket  again;'  and  I  said,  *  If  that's  the  way  you're  going 
on,  I  an't  r-  going  to  vote  nohow.  I'm  done  voting,'  and 
they  said,  '  You'd  better  be  done  voting,  unless  you  vote 
tlie  Democratic  ticket." 

The  whole  company  accepted  this  view  of  the  motives 
of  the  rioters. 

"They  didn't  disturb  you,  Springer?"  asked  Uncle  Jesse. 
"  Yon  didn't  finish." 

""Well,"  he  resumed,  "this  shooting  and  hollering  and 
setting  fires  and  so  on,  continued  till  the  hours  I  named  ; 
and  when  they  got  through  killing  those  they  wanted  to, 
or   could   get,  the  crowd    commenced  going   away.     You 


OTHER  FOOLS  A^T)  THEm  DOIXGS.  213 

coukl  I]ear  tlicni  passing  out  in  different  directions,  lioller- 
in:^  and  cursing  and  cavorting  around,  and  saying  what 
they  bad  done.  Tliey  would  swear  and  say  that  they  hid 
got  Baconsviilc  all  ri^ht  now  ;  tlionght  they  had  killed  a 
sufficient  num])cr  to  prevent  nigger-rule  any  longer  iii  the 
county— thought  they  had  put  a  quietus  on  nigger-rulc  in 
the  county  for  all  time  to  corae.  Thev  went  on  hollering: 
and  calling  the  names  of  the  men  they  had  killed;  and  one 
would  say, 'lie  don't  answer,'  and  another  would  say, 
'He's  looking  at  the  moon  and  don't  vrink  his  eyes,'  and 
they  went  on  making  sport  of  the  men  they  had  killed, 
and  cursing  all  the  time." 

Then  they  commenced  robbing,  and  you  could  hear  it 
all  over  town.  It  looked  like  they  had  parted  themselves 
np  into  squads  for  that  business.  You  could  hear  them  go 
to  a  man's  store,  and  burst  it  open  and  go  in,  all  along  the 
streets.  They  broke  open  ray  warehouse,  and  destroyed  all 
my  books  and  papers,  and  tore  up  the  lloors  and  partitions 
— well,  just  ransacked  the  place  entirely.  Then  they  came 
here.  I  had  become  alarmed  at  that  time,  and  said  to  these 
young  men  who  were  here  with  me,  'I  think  it  is  best  for 
us  not  to  remain  in  this  building,  I  think  they  will  come 
here."  Up  to  that  time  I  was  basing  an  opinion  tliat  they 
would  not  come  here,  upon  the  part  that  I  had  taken  in  the 
whole  affair  during  the  day.  I  felt  that  it  would  keep  me 
out  of  danger;  but  then  I  saw  very  readily  that  even  Gen- 
eral Baker  had  lost  all  control  over  the  men,  and  I  became 
alarmed,  and  thouc^ht  best  to  leave  the  house. 


214  OTHER  FOOLS  AXD  THEIR  DOINGS. 

I  thought  probably  they  would  not  interfere  with  my 
wife;  but  if  ice  wcvq  found  here,  they  would  kill  us.  Sure 
enougli,  1  sup2)osc  we  hadn't  any  more  than  got  out  of  the 
house  and  passed  round  from  the  front  to  the  back  side, 
before  wo  heard  the  footsteps  of  them  passing  up  the  front 
steps.  I  was  then  behind  the  house,  and  there  was  a  light 
in  my  wife's  bedroom,  and  I  saw  one  of  the  men  in  that 
room.  I  didn't  recognize  him,  though  I  heard  him  very 
distinctly  ask  her  where  I  was,  and  wliere  Benny  was.  She 
told  him  that  she  didn't  knov\-  where  I  was;  that  I  had  gone 
away  somewhere.  They  then  commenced  ransacking  the 
house;  and  they  took  a  couple  of  shot  guns  I  had  here, 
and  carried  them  off;  and  they  did  use  some  very  abusive 
words  to  my  wife.  That's  the  extent  of  what  occurred 
here." 

"  No,  that's  not  quite  all,  Sam,"  said  Tim  Grassy.  "  They 
asked  ni}-  sister,  Avho  is  staying  with  my  mother  who  is 
sick,  you  know,  they  asked  her  where  was  Springer's 
money?  She  told  them  they  didn't  have  any.  They  told 
her  she  was  a  cursed  liar.  I  heard  that  distinctly,  for  I  felt 
uneasy  about  my  sick  mother,  and  crept  back  close  up  to 
the  wiudovr.  They  staid  there  some  time,  and  we  heard 
them  coming  dov;n,  and  I  jumped  over  in  Mrs.  Dunn's  yard 
opposite  her  covv^  house,  and  stayed  there  till  I  knowed  all 
of  them  was  gone." 

*'Well,  suppose  vre  all  go  down  to  the  hall  and  see  the 
bodies  of  the  dead,  and  then  I  must  go  home,"  said  Uncle 
Jesse. 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  215 

The  six  men  walked  slowly  down  to  the  old  warehouse, 
which  had  been  reconstructed  into  a  hall  for  the  use  of  the 
various  secret  societies  of  the  village,  of  which  the  people 
of  the  South  are  go  fond. 

There  arranged  in  a  row,  were  the  bodies  of  five  men; 
all  murdered  for  possessing  greater  or  less  proportions  of 
African  blood,  and  being  true  to  the  National  Govern- 
ment which  G^avc  them  freedom — nothiuGT  more  nothiuG:  less. 

But  for  these  it  had  been  no  crime  to  pass  ordinances 
protective  of  the  public  peace  and  convenience,  or  to  en- 
force them — no  crime  to  be  an  intelliirent  leader  amongr 
one's  fellows — no  crime  to  practice  in  the  use  of  arms  under 
sanction  of  lav\'  andtlie  nation's  flag. 

The  homes  of  these  men  had  been  completelv  sacked, 
and  not  a  whole  chair  or  table  was  left  in  some,  on  which 
to  lay  a  coffin,  though  tho  wife  in  one  had  given  her  only 
bed,  a  poor  stack  of  straw,  to  ease  the  removal  of  wounded 
Merry  Walter  to  his  home  across  the  river. 

The  body  of  the  highly  respected  and  beloved  Watta  was 
in  his  home,  where  a  distracted  widow  knelt  beside  it  com- 
fortless; and  two  fatherless  little  ones  clung  to  her  skirts, 
and  wept  in  sympathy,  though  ignorant  of  the  magnitude 
of  their  loss. 

A  large  number  of  spectators  thronged  the  hall  and  vi- 
cinity, among  whom  were  many  wliitc  people  from  the  ad- 
joining State  of  Georgia.  Blacks  were  still  denied  passage 
by  the  A—  police. 

"How   many  were  wounded?" asked  one. 


21G  OTHER  FOOLS  AXD   THEIR  DOIKGS. 

"Three  colored  and  one  wliitel" 

"Talk  about  Georgia!  Talk  about  Georgia?"  said  he. 

"It's  ail  this  Cai)tain  Doc  and  his  lawless  band,"  said 
another  Georgian.  This  Baconsvillc  is  an  awful  place/'  he 
continued,  regardless  of  the  presence,  shrieks  and  wailings 
of  the  families  of  the  slain,  except  as  he  must  needs  pause 
occasionally  for  tlic  sounds  to  subside,  that  he  might  be 
heard.    "They  are  all  a  set  of  thieves.  It's  a  very  Sodom!" 

"There's  no  more  of  that  kind  of  doings  here  than  in 
any  other  place  in  the  South,"  said  a  third,  "  the  fact  is 
there  a'n't  more  than  forty-five  or  fifty  white  persons  live  in 
this  village,  and  the  Bakers  and  Gaston  and  them,  think 
they  shouldn't  be  responsible  to  any  laws  passed  by  colored 
men,  and  think  it  is  an  outrage  if  they  or  other  white  folks 
are  arrested  for  violating  them  ;  and  the  niggers  have 
mostly  let  them  do  as  they  pleased,  which  has  made  the  ex- 
ceptions seem  personal  and  harder  to   stand. 

"  On  the  other  hand,  it's  likely  tlic  niggers  don't  vraste 
any  love  on  old  Bob,  as  they  naturally  can't  forget  hov/  he 
got  his  property;  and  it  is  likely  there's  all  the  envious  feel- 
ings the  poor  are  apt  to  have  against  the  rich,  besides, 
which  makes  their  overbearing  ways  and  impositicns,  and 
violations  of  town  ordinances  seem  more  offensive;  and  it's 
possible  they  take  offence  sometimes  when  none  is  intended; 
maybe  it  is  so  on  both  sides,  though  the  niggers  arc  not 
naturally  susj^icious,  we  know.  It's  just  an  envious,  sus- 
picious village,  with  overbearing  and  suspicious  white 
neighbors." 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND  THEIR  DOINGS.  21 T 

"There's  a  little  more  than  that  too,"  said  another  man. 
"  Here's  a  State  with  a  big  nigger  majority  on  election 
days,  and  a  county  with  a  bigger  one  ;  and  a  State  and 
national  campaign  a  coming,  and  it's  the  centennial,  and 
the  nisreer  'crnsh'  is  tantalizinGf  to  them  that  don't  want  a 
union  with  the  North,  unless  they  can  control  it  ;  and  the 
whites  naturally  want  to  begin  the  next  hundred  years  with 
the  State  in  their  hands." 

"  Oh,  fol-de-rol-dol!  The  superior  race  oicght  to  rule. 
That's  the  whole  of  it,"  said  another. 

"All  that  doesn't  make  this  right,"  said  the  first  speaker. 
"The  whites  have  had  the  best  chance  to  be  civilized,  and 
the  negroes  have  never  done  anything  like  this.  Talk 
about  Georgia!  Georgia  has  never  been  guilty  of  such  a 
barbarous  thing  as  this,  and  had  it  not  been  for  those 
Bean  Island  men,  it  never  would  have  happened." 

"  Tliat  stirs  fury  all  over  one.  sir;  to  have  that  said  after 
I  have  stvove  so  hard  to  keep  things  quiet  in  Bean  Island  I" 
said  Uncle  Jesse,  "I  shall  inquire  about  that;"  and  scarcely 
bidding  a  hasty  adieu  to  his  friends,  he  abruptly  left  the 
place,  and  mounting  his  horse,  rode  home,  and  hastened  to 
the  residence  of  Deacon  At  wood. 

"  Deacon,"  said  he,  "  a  very  nice  gentleman  from  Georgia 
says  that  had  it  not  been  for  Bean  Island  people,  that  them 
men  would  never  have  been  killed," 

"  It's  a  lie!  "  It's  a  lie!  "  cried  the  Deacon,  "  and  if  they 
go  on  talking  that  way,  the  whole  cat  will  be  let  out  at 
once.     There  an't  a  word  of  truth  in  it!     There  wa'n't   a 


318  OTHER  FOOLS   AXD   THEIR  DOINGS. 

Bean  Island  man  shot  a  gun.  Dr.  Ava  and  Joe  Ennery 
guarded  the  prisoners,  and  when  they  were  to  bo  killed, 
tbey  were  to  be  delivered  into  the  hands  of  unknown  par- 
ties that  the  law  couldn't  detect  them.  That  was  a  plan 
laid  before.  They  didn't  fire  a  gun  there,  nor  kill  a  man  ; 
7iot  one  !  There  was  nobody  stayed  over  there  from  Bean 
Island,  but  some  drunken  fellows  that  couldn't  get  away  ; 
and  if  they  keep  on  talking  in  that  way,  the  whole  cat  will 
get  out  of  the  water." 

*'  Deacon  Atwood,  that  was  wrong  then.  You  ought 
never  to  have  killed  them  men  after  taking  them  pris- 
oners." 

Dea.  A. — "  I  agree  with  you  there." 

Uncle  Jesse. — "  They  ought  not  to  have  killed  them 
after  they  stopped  fighting." 

Dea.  A. — "  They  ought  never  to  have  stopped  fighting 
till  they  killed  them  in  theJigJit  P'' 

Uncle  Jesse. — "They  didn't  kill  any  of  them  in  the 
fight  ;  they  must  have  been  very  poor  marksmen,  as  many 
as  they  was  there,  and  couldn't  kill  anybody,  and  had  to 
wait  till  they  got  out  of  ammunition,  and  then  took  'era 
out  and  killed  'em.  V^hy  didn't  they  let  'em  be  taken  by 
the  law,  and  be  tried  and  had  justice  done  'em?" 

Dea.  A. — "I  suppose  the  men  vrere  so  ambitious  that 
they  didn't  intend  they  should  live.  Xow  I  tell  you,  Jesse, 
what  this  Georgia  gentleman  said,  isn't  so.  Bardon  Ramol 
and  Bob  Blending  met  a  young  nigger  this  morning  just 
l)rfore  they  got  to  Horse  Creek,  a  coming"  home,  and  Bar- 


OTHER  FOOLS   AXD  THEIR  DOINGS.  219 

don  he  says  to  him,  '  Xow,  don't  you  go  down  there. 
Didn't  you  bear  the  guns  down  there  last  night  ?  The  last 
one  is  killed,  and  it's  all  over,  and  it  an't  worth  while  to 
go.'" 

Uncle  Jesse. — "And  so  they  got  him  to  turn  back? 
That's  well  enough,  but  not  much." 

Dea.  A. — "  Yes.  Now  they're  accusing  Sam  Payne,  and 
Tad  Volier— that  little  fellow  not  more'n  four  feet  high — 
to  day,  and  Til  swear  it's  a  lie  ;  for  them  men  were  not 
killed  by  anybody  that  is  on  this  side  the  river." 

Jesse  Roome  did  not  tell  his  neighbor  ho^v  well  all  this 
conversation  assured  him  that  he  was  privy  to  all  the 
plans,  at  least  ;  but  simply  asked,  "  Sam  Payne  was  not 
there?" 

Dea.  A. — "  No,  Jesse,  he  wasn't  there." 

Uncle  Jesse. — "  Well,  Deacon  Atwood,  Pve  always  been 
a  good  friend  to  you,  and  Pve  told  you  some  things  that 
the  colored  people  were  going  to  do  that  was  wrong,  and 
we  have  been  pretty  confidential  a  great  many  times  ;  but 
I  just  tell  you,  sir,  if  you  go  to  violating  the  law,  then  PU 
back  down.  I  will  not  stick  for  anybody  that  will  violate 
the  law.  My  motto  is  to  punish  every  man,  white  or 
black,  that  will  violate  the  law." 


220  OTHER  FOOLS  AXD  THEIR  DOINGS. 


CHAPTER     XIII. 

THE    SCALLAWAG. 

"  Get  tbcc  gone! 

Death  and  destruction  dog  tliec  at  the  heels. 

♦  *  *  -:f  *  w  * 

If  thou  wilt  outstrip  death,  go  cross  the  seas, 
And  live  with  Richurd  from  the  reach  of  hell. 
Go,  hie  thee  from  this  slaughter-house 
Lest  thou  increase  the  number  of  the  dead." 

—King  Richard  III. 

"When  Col.  Baker  ordered  Mrs.  Marraor  to  leave  ber 
home,  she  Avould  not  ask  shelter  in  the  house  of  her  nearest 
neighbor — that  most  Christian  Jew,  Dan  Lemfield — lest 
ber  presence  might  jeopardise  the  safety  of  her  husband; 
and  slie  stood  upon  the  doorsteps  with  ber  infant  in  ber 
arms,  and  little  Louie  beside  ber,  gazing  np  and  down  the 
street  in  utter  dismay,  and  not  knowing  whitber  to  flee. 
Only  a  few  steps  at  ber  left  was  the  drill-room,  the  centre 
about  which  all  the  warlike  preparations  were  arranged, 
and  every  dwelling  in  the  belcagured  square,  except  her 
own  and  Lemfleld's,  was  the  abode  of  at  least  one  colored 
family,  and  therefore  clearly  unsafe. 

"  Where  is  my  papa  ?  Why  don't  be  come  and  go  with 
us,  mamma?''  asked  the  little  boy  in  the  piping  voice  of 
childish  grief. 

'•'Hush,  child  I  Mamma 's  glad  be  is  not  here.  Keep 
still  and  mavbe  the  soldiers  v>-on't  hurt  us." 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  221 

"TTill  tliey  hurt  us  maybe,  mamma?"  The  boy  now 
began  to  wail  piteously,  and  the  babe  cried  in  sympathy. 

"  Hush,  Louie  !  Mamxiia  will  tell  you,"  said  Mrs.  Mar- 
mor.  She  sat  down  upon  the  steps,  in  presence  of  the 
armed  foe  by  which  the  street  was  occupied,  and,  placing 
her  own  person  in  range  of  any  possible  shot  that  might  be 
aimed  at  Marmor's  boy,  she  spoke  in  low  and  rapid  tones  : — 

"If  you  cry,  these  men  will  see  you;  and  if  you  keep 
still,  maybe  they  won't  notice,  and  sister  will  keep  still  too. 
You  don't  want  little  sister  to  get  hurt.  You  will  be  a 
brave  man,  like  papa,  won't  you  ?  Papa  isn't  afraid,  and 
he  keeps  still." 

Pressing  both  his  little  hands  over  his  mouth  for  an 
instant,  and  choking  back  one  or  two  great  sobs,  the  child 
looked  up  into  his  mother's  eyes,  smilhig  through  liis  tears, 
and  repeated — "I  cried  unto  God  withn;y  voice,  even  unto 
God  with  my  voice,  and  he  gave  ear  unto  me."  Mamma, 
there's  Mr.  Dan.     See  !     Mamma,  see  !" 

Turning,  she  saw  the  Jew  at  his  door^  beckoning  her 
with  earnest  gesticulation,  although  beside  him  stood  the 
burly  Rufus  Baker.  As  she  approached,  she  heard  Mr. 
Lemfield  say  something  about  hostages,  and  Baker  replied 
with  a  significant  wink  and  nod. 

"We  w411  all  die  together,  if  we  must,"  said  the  dis- 
tressed wife  and  mother,  mentally. 

*'  Co  im,  Mrs.  Marmor.  Co  im,"  said  LemfieM.  "Don't 
sthop  out  h.ere  mit  do  leetlc  kinder.  You  huspand  go  vay  ? 
Dat  isli  pad.     May  pe  he'll  come."     A  quick  glance  at  his 


2 2 3  OTHER   FOOLS   AND   THEIR  DOIXGS, 

shrewd  face,  and  slie  accci)ted  ]iis  invitation,  and  entered 
the  hospitable  door  with  her  little  ones. 

Dan  soon  followed,  and  taking  her  aside,  said  hastily. 
"  You  must  not  tell.  You  pe  like  you  know  not  varc  de 
man  ist.  I  tink  I  co  get  old  Bob  and  feed  'ini  viskev.  Ven 
he  trunk  he  shieeps  much,  and  vants  more  viskey.  He  pe 
here  he  not  tink  you  huspand  he  here;  and  ve  knows  he  pe 
killing  no  mon.     Now  you  take  care." 

Poor  Mrs.  Marmor  took  the  cue  quickly. 

Almost  immediately  after  this  the  first  gun  fired.  The 
Jew  flew  to  the  front  door,  and  soon  returned  accompanied 
by  the  great  bushy-whiskered  negro-hunter,  who  was  much 
excited. 

Mrs.  Marmor  feigned  great  uneasiness  and  anxiety  for 
the  safety  of  her  husband,  and  could  but  shudder  under  the 
piercing  eye  of  the  old  man,  Avhilc  Louie  hid  behind  her 
chair  and  peeped  out  at  him  with  the  fascination  of  fear. 

Their  host  seemed  to  forget  the  presence  of  his  other 
guests  in  his  solicitude  for  Mr.  Buker's  comfort. 

"You  not  pe  veil  I  see.  Dat  ish  pad.  Vat  ish  te  mat- 
ter?" 

"I'm  excited,  and  I  reckon  I've  taken  cold.  Give  me 
somiC  whiskey,"  re2)liedthe  hypocondriac.  "I've  sweat  too 
much.     The  day  has  been  terribly  hot !" 

"Ya.  Dat  ish  goot.  Col.  Paker  tole  me  shut  up  mine 
par;  but  I  not  open  it  to  serve  jou.  I  shust  pring  it  here, 
and  you  trink  mit  my  family,  Yill  I  make  shling  ?  oder 
toddy?" 


*  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  223 

"O  slino-,  sling." 

"Alio  right.  Dat  ish  goot;"  and  Dan  bustled  away  to 
the  bar-room  and  brought  a  bottle  of  strong  liquor,  from 
which  he  soon  mixed  what  he  called  "  de  ferry  pest  sliling 
eber  made  in  de  country,"  and  with  great  show  of  solici- 
tude presented  it  to  the  old  man,  who  gulped  it  down  and 
smacked  his  lips  with  evident  satisfaction. 

In  common  with  all  mankind  Robert  Baker  had  an  im- 
pressible point;  and,  as  with  every  other  tyrant,  that  point 
was  vulnerable  to  flattery.  By  a  discreet  use  of  this  deple- 
tive, and  a  vigorous  administration  of  sling,  and  industri- 
ous cultivation  of  his  hypocondriacal  tendency,  the  Jew 
soon  had  him  npon  his  back,  and  courting  a  perspiration 
which  should  relieve  him  of  numerous  imaginary  ills.  The 
rapid  discharge  of  fire-arms  upon  tlie  street,  however,  kept 
the  patient  nervous  and  excited;  and  Dan's  family  screamed 
and  exclaimed,  and  Mrs.  Marmor  and  her  boy  wept  silently 
as  volley  followed  volley. 

"Where  is  my  papa  ?"  Louie  sobbed  into  his  mother's 
ear;  for  to  him  "old  man  Baker"  was  an  ogre,  who  would 
devour  any  little  boy  he  chanced  to  observe. 

"  Let  us  pray  God  to  take  care  of  him.  He  is  taking  care 
of  us.  See,  little  sister  is  asleep." 

"  TThat  makes  you  cry,  mamma  ?" 

"  Oh,  just  hear  the  guns  ?  Somebody  will  get  hurt," 
and  they  wept  and  trembled  together,  while  Lemfield  con- 
tinued to  ply  his  patient  with  whiskey,  till  even  his  eager- 
nef=s  for  the  fray  could  not  master  the  oncoming  stupor  of 
drunkenness. 


221  OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS. 

Two  linirs  or  more  passed  thus,  and  it  was  dark,  when 
fearful  yells  burst  out,  curdling  the  blood  of  every  listener. 
They  were  like  the  jubilations  of  demons,  and  were  soon 
followed  by  the  boominj:^  of  cannon. 

Couriers  brouglit  frequent  advices  of  the  progress  of  af- 
fairs, which  Lemfield  carefully  received  for  the  old  man, 
and  as  carefully  withheld  from  every  occupant  of  the  house 
except  the  refugee  in  tlie  chamber. 

At  the  sound    of  the    artillery,  Baker  rolled   from   the 

sofa,  and   gleefully  exclaiming,   '"'Vre'llget   "em  novv- 

them  I"  he  reeled  from  the  front  to  the  rear  door,  pistol 
in  hand,  chafing  under  th.e  restraint  of  his  celf-appointed 
nurse,  like  a  hound  in  the  leash  when  the  horu  of  the 
huntsmen  is  heard. 

A  tramping  sound  in  the  back  yard  drew  both  men  to 
the  door. 

"Who  ish  dat?"  demanded  Dan,  peering  into  the  dark- 
ness of  a  shady  part  of  the  enclosure. 

"There  goes  a nigger!     Here  ho  goesi     Here  he 

goes  I"  shouted  the  old  slave-catcher. 

"Don't  shoot!  Don't  shoot!"  cried  the  Jew;  but  while 
he  yet  spoke  it  was  too  late. 

''I've  got  'im!  I've  got  'im"  cried  the  old  man,  running 
to  his  fallen  game. 

"Co  im  quick!  Co  im  quick, ^^.leester  Paker  I  Somebody 
vill  shoot  you.'^  and  tlio  excited  little  man  caught  the 
m-urderer's  arm  and  dragged  him  into  X\\o.  liouse,  while 
the  dusky  form  of   Xat  Wellman  crept  on  all  fours  into 


OTHER  FOOLS   AND  THEIR  DOINGS.  225 

a  yard  still  farther  to  the  rear,  and  found  safety  in  a 
deeper  shade. 

Filled  with  such  terrors  the  night  wore  on,  and  Marmor's 
were  not  the  only  infants  that  sobbed  themselves  to  sleep 
in  the  midst  of  those  dreadful  alarms,  tlioiigh  many  were 
laid  in  the  shadows  of  the  cornfields  or  the  dampness  of  the 
swamps  that  surrounded  the  besieged  town. 

"  Ich  vill  make  ine  skiing,  vat  vill  make  Old  Bob  shleep, 
so  Ich  vili/'''  muttered  Dan, 'as  he  mixed  a  few  drops  of 
laudanum  with  a  fresh  mug  of  the  steaming  beverage.  "  Ich 
hab  no  more  mens  killed  by  mine  house." 

The  patient  was  at  length  awakening  great  echoes  in  his 
bed  room,  with  his  stentorian  breathings,  notwithstanding 
renewed  disturbances  upon  the  premises,  and  that  most 
Christian  Jew  stole  up  to  Taarmor's  retreat. 

''For  your  life,  Meester  I^Iarmor,  do  co  hide  somevare! 
Dey  po  hunt  you,  aud   say  dcy  vill  purn  your  house.   Dey 

sliwarc  dey  vill  hab  you.     Dey  say    you  be  ine scalla- 

vag,  ino  republican,  and  dat  you  pringht  ammunition  to 
de  nigger  militia." 

"  It  is  false!"  said  Marmor,  "The  gnly  ammunition  I  ever 
brought  to  this  town  is  rej^uhlican  newspapers." 

"  Dat  make  no  odds.  Dat  pad  'nough,  dey  link,  and  dey 
pe  hunt  you;  deycotru  mine  house  shust  now.  Dey  find 
Shimmy'  (Jimmy,  Marmor's  servant)  in  yo'  yard,  and  dey 
vip  'im  to  tell  vo  you  ist;  but  he  know  notting." 

The  hunted  man  fled  to  the  house  top,  where  he  lay  long, 
listening  to  the  crashing  of  his  printing  presses  and  furni- 


226  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

tui'G,  and  tlie  shrieks  and  cries  of  colored  women  and  chil- 
dren whom  he  saw  violently  dragged  from  their  houses  by 
fiendish  men  athirst  for  the  blood  of  their  husbands  and 
fathers  for  whom  they  sought;  and  wondering  if  liis  own 
mother  was  suffering  similar  indignities,  he  blamed  him- 
self for  hiding. 

He  saw  houses  fired,  in  various  directions,  but  the  flames 
were  soon  extinguished  by  the  less  reckless  of  the  assail- 
ants, or  by  the  occupants,  some  of  whom  were  thus  captured. 

About  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  tumult  in  his  own 
house  was  renewed  and  increased;  and,  driven  from  their 
hiding  place  there,  two  colored  men  leaped  from  a  window 
of  the  second  story,  upon  a  roof  beneath  it,  and  with  al- 
most superhuman  effort,  climbed  upon  that  of  a  higher 
part  of  the  building,  an,d  scarcely  less  miraculously  escaped 
death  by  the  pistol  of  their  friend  Marmor,  who  mistook 
them  for  foes. 

"For  mercy's  sake  don't  shoot!"  cried  one,  just  in  time  to 
arrest  a  second  discharge. 

The  three  men  lay  flat  upon  the  roof  to  avoid  discovery, 
but  the  sound  of  the  pistol  and  the  voice  had  betrayed 
them,  and  several  of  the  rioters  attempted  to  follow  the 
young  men. 

Meanwhile  the  three  men  slipped  down  through  the 
scuttle  into  Lemfield's  house. 

Obliged  to  abandon  pursuit  in  that  direction,  the  ruffians 
re-entered  the  window,  descended  to  the  street,  and  pouring 
into  the  next  house,  rushed  to  the  stairs. 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS.  22* 

Vas  fur  you  co  up  mine  shtair?  Co  town!  Ich  say,  co 
town!"  cried  Dan.  "Ich  been  goot  freund  to  chcry  man, 
so  you  siuiU  not  break  mine  tings.  You  must  go  vay, 
mine  vamily  pe  sick  up  dar,  and  you  will  scharc  mine  cronk 
poy  so  he  co  todt!"  and  pushing  past  them,  he  mounted 
the  upper  steps,  still  persisting  in  his  opposition,  and  ob- 
structing the  way, 

^^  Ichnonigr/ahy  no' publican,  no  notting  dat  votes'  cainst 
you.  So  you  co  vayP 

"We  won't  hurt  you,  nor  your  famil}*,  Dan,  if  Me  find 
you  all  right,  but,  (the  reader  must  imagine  the  vilest  and 
most  profuse  epithets  and  profanity),  Louis  Marraor  is  up 
there,  and  we  will  have  him.  He's  a  scallawag,  and  a  re- 
publican, and  is  helping  the  niggers,  and  we  must  get  him. 
He  has  got  to  die  as  well  as  the  rest," 

"  Er  nicht  dar." 

"  You're  a  lying  Jew  dog!" 

"  Ich  schvare  youns,  Louis  3Iarmor  ist  not  pout  mine 
blace,  2oy  de  heard  of  Abraham  /" 

"  You  swear  to  that,  do  you  ?"  asked  the  leader. 

"Ich  schware!     Ich  schware!  " 

"  B-o-y-s,  b-o-y-s,"  said  old  man  Baker,  staggering  from 
the  couch  where  Mrs.  Marmor  had  shaken  him  into  con- 
sciousness, "Boys,  oh,  come  back!  come,  come,  come  back! 
Dan's  a  good  fellow.  I'm  quite  unwell,  quite  unwell," 
drawled  he,  "  and  he  has  taken  care  of  me  and  pro — pro — 

protected  me  from  them niggers,  and  I'll  protect  his 

Jiouse   and  family.     Nov\'  just  come  back,     Don't  go  up 


228  OTHER  FOOLS   AXD   THEIR  DOINGS. 

there.  I've  been  here  all  night,  so  far,  and  hide  nor  hair  o' 
Louis  Marmor  ha'n't  been  seen  about  here.  I'll  vouch  for 
this  house,  and  guard  it  too.     So  don't  go  up." 

"  If  you  say  so,  Mr.  Baker,  we'll  come  back,  but  we 
thought  he  was  thar  sho'." 

"Ha'n't  been  about  hereto-night.  I've  been  here  and 
could  see,  and  Dan's  all  right." 

The  ruffians  yielded,  and  the  three  men,  who  had  been 
unable  to  reach  the  scuttle  and  escape,  were  saved;  though, 
confident  of  a  speedy  return  of  their  foes,  the  colored  men 
imraedia'ely  sought  another  place  of  concealment. 

The  cries  and  pleadings  of  another  captive  were  soon 
afterwards  heard  in  the  back-yard,  and  he  was  conveyed  in 
triumph  to  the  **' dead-ring "  which  was  still  insatialle 
while  ungraced  by  the  persons  of  Marraor  and  Doc. 

Though  the  house  was  not  again  entered  by  the  mob,  so 
strong  and  general  was  the  suspicion  that  Mr.  Marmor  was 
upon  the  Jew's  premises,  that  after  his  return  to  his  home 
even  Robert  Baker  was  persuaded  to  believe  it,  and  a  vigi- 
lant watch  was  maintained  several  days  thereafter. 

While  Aunt  Phoebe  was  hastening  the  preparation  of 
Uncle  Jesse's  breakfast  the  next  morning,  Jane  Marmor 
sat  beside  her  husband  in  the  Jew's  chamber,  and  described 
the  condition  of  things,  as  she  had  found  them  in  their 
home  ;  for  she  had  already  ventured  there,  and  had  looked 
in  upon  her  mother-in-law,  who  had  locked  herself  into  her 
own  little  sho]),  and  remained  there,  alone,  and  (strangely), 
unharmed,  through  the  night. 


OTHER  FOOLS  AXD  THEIR  DOINGS.  229 

Harry  Gaston,  and  Hanson,  Tommy,  and  old  man  Baker 
relieved  each  other  on  watch  all  the  next  day,  each  being 
assisted  by  r.  band  of  trusted  followers  ;  and  Marmor', 
close  behind  Dan's  window-shades,  listened  to  their  threats 
against  himself,  and  their  attempts  to  convince  such 
negroes  as  ventured  near  them,  that  he,  Kani-asp,  and 
the  "carpet-bag  Governor,"  were  solely  responsible  for  the 
massacre  ;  and  while  his  colored  friends  were  anxiously 
conjecturing  his  fate,  his  experiences  in  the  affair  had 
scarcely  begun. 

As  the  day  declined,  3Irs.  Marmor  joined  her  entreaties 
to  those  of  their  host,  urging  upon  her  husband  the  neces- 
sity of  attempting  escape,  as  there  were  indications  of 
more  decided  search  of  the  premises. 

Night  came  at  length,  and  spread  her  dark  mantle  over 
the  village;  but  the  hunted  man  had  scarcely  escaped  the 
house  when  the  rising  of  the  full  moon  made  concealment 
almost  impossible. 

As  the  weather  was  very  warm,  and  he  must  make  speed, 
he  went  without  a  coat.  Choosing  a  time  when  the  sentry 
had  passed  to  the  extreme  of  his  beat,  he  walked  up  the 
street  with  apparently  careless  moderation,  hoping  to  be 
mistaken  for  a  laborer,  and  to  reach  a  small  station  on  the 
railroad  three  miles  distant,  before  the  arrival  of  the  next 
train. 

This  he  accomplished  in  safety,  but  arrived  too  early. 
A   congregation    was   gathering   at  a   church   near   by, 
for  the   Sunday   evening  service;    and   as   his  lips   were 


2S0  OTHER  FOOLS  ANT)    THEIR  DOCsGS. 

parcheJ  with  thirst,  he  approached  and  procured  a  drink 
of  water. 

Several  persons  there  knew  Marmor,  but  as  he  had  shaved 
his  beard,  and  otherwise  sliglitly  disguised  himself,  they 
were  not  confident  of  his  identity. 

However,  on  his  return  to  the  carriage-road,  he  was  at 
once  confronted  by  six  armed  men. 

The  click  of  their  gun-locks  was  his  first  intimation  of 
their  presence,  and  with  the  bound  of  a  wild  deer,  he  dashed 
into  a  black  swamp  hard  by. 

His  pursuers  were  mounted,  and  therefore  could  not  enter 
it;  but  the  swamp,  though  over  a  mile  Ion  a.  "svas  narrow; 
and  they  hunted  him  on  either  side. 

It  Avas  a  cane-break,  and  but  for  the  extreme  drought  of 
the  season,  would  have  furnished  but  poor  footing  indeed. 

The  tall,  stiff  reeds  reached  for  above  his  head,  and  some 
skill  was  needful  to  break  them  over  with  the  font  and  thus 
secure  a  standing-place.  His  hat  was  soon  knocked  off  by 
a  shot,  and  his  low-quartered  shoes  lost  in  the  mire.  At 
length  a  place  was  reached  where  a  point  of  firm  land  ex- 
tended into  the  swamp,  and  on  this  several  of  his  pursuers 
took  position,  (for  their  number  had  been  increased),  to 
cut  him  off,  should  he  attempt  to  pass. 

They  had  lost  sight  of  him,  but  as  he  approached  he  dis- 
tinctly saw  Robert  Baker  directly  opposite  and  facing 
him,  and  not  far  distant.  He  noted  the  resolute  bearing 
and  determined  visage  of  the  old  hunter;  but  felt  himself 
still  incompetent  to  fully  sympathize  with  the  hunted  slave 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DODsGS.  23l 

of  the  forraor  times;  'whom  no  arm  in  the  State  or  nation 
was  strong  enough  to  deliver  from  his  master,  or  this  hired 
hunter  and  his  blood-hounds. 

But,  having  little  time  for  sentiment  or  reflection,  he 
took  a  hasty  survey  of  the  positions  of  such  of  his  pursuers 
as  were  in  sight,  deliberately  approached  the  edge  of  the 
swamp,  took  aim  at  the  old  hunter,  who  he  felt  sure  would 
not  scruple  to  take  A zs  life,  and  firing,  ran  rapidly  in  a  direc- 
tion he  thought  they  would  not  suspect;  and  thus  escaped 
for  the  time. 

But,  instead  of  approaching  the  town  as  he  intended  to 
do,  he  wandered  in  a  circuitous  direction,  and  returned  to 
the  church. 

The  services  were  over,  and  as  he  saw  that  many  of  the 
men  were  mounting  horses,  he  retreated  to  the  woods  again, 
where  he  lay  till  morning. 

His  pursuers  inquired  of  the  worshippers,  and  finally  got 
upon  his  track  the  next  morning,  bringing  their  trained 
dogs.  From  that  time  till  Wednesday  morning  they 
chased  him  up  and  down  the  woods  and  swamps.  His  feet 
were  wounded  and  swollen,  his  bare  head  exposed  to  the 
burning  July  sun,  and  he  had  eaten  nothing  since  Sunday 
morning. 

On  Tuesday  morning  he  became  desperate,  and  resolved 
to  leave  the  swamp.  He  did  so,  and  ran  along  the  road. 
On  several  occasions  the  dogs  were  upon  him  when  he 
again  intrenched  himself  among  bushes  surrounded  by 
water,  and  lay  watching,  pistol  in  hand.     But  as  he  had  no 


2o2  OTHER  FOOLS  AND   THEIR  DOINGS. 

ammunition  besides  that  in  bis  revolver,  he  determined  to 
make  that  as  useful  as  possible,  and  reserved  for  a  probable 
extremity. 

Once  they  caught  sight  of  him  at  two  hundred  yards  dis- 
tance and  cried.  "  There  he  is!  There's  the scallawaff!" 

and  hissed  their  dogs  upon  him. 

On  Wednesday  morning  he  eluded  them  and  reached  the 
residence  of  the  Intendant  of  Baconsville,  on  the  outskirts 
of  the  town.  He  was  a  pitiable  object  indeed;  with  cloth- 
ing torn  and  covered  with  mud,  feet  bare,  swollen  and 
bleeding;  fair  broad  brow  burned  to  a  blister,  auburn  hair, 
unkempt;  famished,  fainting,  and  only  his  determined  en- 
ergy left  of  his  former  self. 

Refreshed  by  a  cup  of  coffee  and  a  judicious  breakfast, 
and  a  bath  for  his  feet,  he  hobbled  to  his  home,  which  he 
reached  about  ten  o'clock. 

It  had  become  his  sole  wish  to  see  his  family  once  more, 
and  if  he  must  die,  to  die  with  them;  and  his  apprehensive- 
ness  had  become  so  great  that  he  Avas  with  great  difficulty 
persuaded  to  tarry  at  his  neighbors  for  food.  To  be  driven 
from  home,  and  hunted  through  swamps  and  forests,  like 
a  ferocious  beast,  had  become  an  insupportable  thought. 

And  wherefore  7cas  he? 

Because  he  sought  through  that  great  instrument  of  en- 
lightenment, the  press,  to  disseminate  his  iDolitical  opinions, 
and  the  principles  of  a  Republican  government,  and  to 
strengthen  and  perpetuate  the  Union. 

An  hour  after  reach  in  g:  home  he  became  aware  that  the 


OTHER  FOOLS  AND  THEIR  DOINGS.  233 

foe  was  on  bis  track  and  approaching,  but  the  house  was 
kept  closed,  and  guarded  by  leading  citizens,  and  he 
remained  till  the  afternoon  of  the  following  day;  when,  so 
disguised  as  to  be  unrecognized  by  familiar  friends,  he 
took  the  railroad  train  for  the  Capitol,  and  escaped. 

A  band  of  those  white  ruffians  boarded  the  train,  and 
passed  through  it  several  times,  enquiring  for  him,  and 
even  propounded  their  questions  to  him,  without  recog- 
nizing him. 

The  horrors  of  this  massacre  were  but  the  commence- 
ment of  a  succession  which  blackened  the  history  of  the 
political  campaign  of  the  year  1876  in  the  State  of  South 
Carolina,  and  in  other  Southern  states,  and  disgraced  the 
Republic  in  the  sight  of  the  nations  she  had  invited  to 
witness  the  successes  she  had  achieved  under  a  free  and 
popular  government. 

Is  it  asked  what  punishment  was  meted  out  to  those 
miserable  offenders  ? 

They  were  arrested,  liberated  for  several  months  under 
bail  of  8500  each,  and  clearly  convicted  upon  trial  ;  but 
because  the  jury  of  twelve  was  empanelled  upon  a  strictly 
party  basis,  and  the  six  white  men  were  avowedly  opposed 
to  conviction  on  any  evidence,  a  mistrial  ensued. 

As  under  "  the  conciliation  policy  "  of  the  national  ad- 
ministration which  followed  the  next  subsequent  election, 
the  United  States'  troops  which  liad  been  sent  into  the 
State  at  the  request  of  the  Governor  were  withdrawn, 
the  defeated  Democratic  candidates  for  Governor  apd  Leg- 


234  OTHER  FOOLS  AXD   THEIR  DOINGS. 

islatnre,  supported  by  the  unchartered  and  hence  illegal 
rifle  clubs  usurped  the  State  government,  and  all  further 
proceedings  against  the  rioters  were  dropped,  and  the 
notorious  General  Baker  was  elected  to  a  seat  in  the  Sen- 
ate of  the  nation,  by  that  spurious  legislature  of  his  State. 

Such  is  the  justice,  and  such  the  tender  mercies,  to  which 
have  been  consigned  the  emancipated  slaves  of  the  South- 
ern States,  and  these  and  similar  experiences  have  caused 
the  "  Exodus"  of  the  freedmen  to  the  great  north-west. 

With  such  fearful  odds,  can  the  reader  wonder  at  their 
seeming  timidity? 

THE  END. 


RARE  BOOK 
COLLECTION 


THE  LIBRARY  OE  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT 

CHAPEL  HILL 

Wilmer 

499 

C.2 


